Apples to Oranges
by QuirkyQwerty101
Summary: An apathetic Light finds new optimism and drive to change the world for the better when he meets a idealistic young girl. Despite her struggles, Eva shows him how beautiful she thinks the world is. Light doesn't agree with her naivety, but he knows he wants to try and make it that way for her.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** Hey guys! This is a trial run for a Death Note fanfic I'm working on. Let me know what you think and if you'd like to see it continue.

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

* * *

Light Yagami sighed, propping his head up with his hand and absentmindedly staring at the chalkboard. He already knew this. There was no test, no review, nothing that kept him from drifting off into a world of his own thoughts. He glanced at the empty seat next to him. _Day two of the third cycle._ Time always dragged without her. He smiled when he thought about his bad habit of passing notes to her in class. She was always so hyper focused. She took things way too seriously. Guilt oozed off of her as she would unfold his notes. Her face would scrunch up in concentration as she read them. It was cute. She was cute. Especially when she would look around like a criminal before scribbling a reply and passing it back to him. She couldn't draw more suspicion to herself if she tried. He turned his attention to the window and stared off into the distance. _I wonder how she's doing._

* * *

 _"Good morning." the teacher said, speed walking into the classroom and hurrying to get situated before the bell. "Come in, Eva." Light glanced up, wondering who he was speaking to. His attention was immediately drawn to the small girl standing nervously in the doorway. She walked toward the teacher's outstretched arm, and he placed his hand on her shoulder. "This is Eva Reyes. She's just transferred from—" He paused and looked at her. She glanced between the class and him, suddenly realizing what he wanted._

 _"Y-yes! Um…from United States. Washington, DC." Her Japanese was…bad. There was no way around that. But her accent was cute. She clumsily stumbled through the rest of her introduction. Her father was a prominent intelligence and defense contractor. Her mother was a retired FBI lawyer, and now a legal consultant. Eva glanced at the teacher every time a word that she didn't know came up. She said it in English, he would repeat it in Japanese, and she would butcher it in replication. It was criminal, really, but it made Light smile. Maybe it was just the introduction of something new and exotic in such a homogeneous setting, but something drew him to her. He watched her scurry to a seat at the other end of the classroom. Her skin had an almost golden hue to it. He wasn't sure if it glittered, but it definitely glowed. He wondered if this is what it felt like to be a moth—instantly drawn to her flame. He watched her run a hand through her long, black hair. She flipped it over to one side, but it began to slide back to its original position like silk. Her loose waves ended at her mid back, and he suddenly found himself wondering what she smelled like._

 _"Light!" The teacher's voice broke through his daydream and he stood quickly. "Are you ready to present your comparative research project on economic systems?"_

 _"Yes, sir." Light shuffled a few papers from his desk and grabbed a USB drive. He made his way to the front of the class and began his presentation, though, admittedly with some distraction. He moved his eyes from person to person within the class to showcase strong interactions and engagement with the audience. His eyes lingered longer on Eva. She seemed transfixed by him. Her tiny frame leaned over the desk and watched him carefully with her face cupped in her hands. Her pale green eyes were wide—following his every movement. He wondered if she was enjoying the speech, or if she was just listening for words that she knew and trying to piece together the content. He finished to thunderous applause and took his seat._

 _"Excellent work, as always, Light. Next victim." The teacher glanced around the room, no doubt looking for the most terrified student in the crowd. Light looked over at Eva again. She was busy furiously scribbling in her notebook. He had to admit it upset him. Not even a glance in his direction afterward? He endured the rest of the class, trying to gauge her reaction to the other presenters. She watched them just as carefully, and took some notes after they were done, but not nearly as many as after his presentation. Wait…was he just looking for any reason to justify his obsession? He was being irrational. This was stupid. He turned away from the girl and began collecting his things, anticipating the bell. The students filtered out once it rang. "Light, Eva." Light looked up at the teacher and slowly walked to his desk._

 _"Yes, sir?" He glanced over at the nervous girl._

 _"Eva, Light has excellent English skills. If you need help translating anything, please look to him. Light, please show her around. Let's make the next four years bearable for her, shall we?" It wasn't a request. Not that Light minded. He smiled at her and held out his hand._

 _"Nice to meet you, Eva, was it?"_

 _"Wow! Your English is so good!" she replied, gratefully taking his hand. She quickly flipped open the notebook in her arms and Light smiled. The name of each presenter, along with notes about their presentations filled the page. Light's section was the largest. He felt good about that. "I had some questions about your presentation. Do you think you can help me through them?"_

 _"Sure, no problem."_

* * *

 _Three years._ It had been three years since Eva came crashing into his life like a tornado. She had completely overwhelmed him with her optimism.

* * *

 _"Hey, what's that scar from?" Light asked, running his fingers down Eva's side. She shuddered in response. "Sorry."_

 _"No, it's fine. I'm just ticklish." She laid back down on the beach towel and brought her arms across her stomach. It was cute. She was so shy about her body, even on a beach. "It was from a long time ago. My dad isn't exactly in the most beloved line of work. He made all of his money from defense and intelligence contracts—so, basically, he created technology that made mass data collection, warrant-less wiretapping, and war a lot easier. After the Iraqi No-Fly Zone Enforcement Operations, there were a lot of people protesting the U.S. government's foreign intervention and involvement. My dad got caught up in one of the protests when he was picking me up from school. I think I was only five. I was so little, and when the crowd rushed him, I lost my grip on his hand and fell trying to keep hold. A man stumbled over me, and accidentally stepped on my stomach really hard. I was rushed to the emergency room, and it turned out that my kidney ruptured from the impact." She paused and scrunched up her face in concern. "My…father did something that I don't necessarily agree with. He paid to get me to the top of every organ donor transplant list in our area. I was only on dialysis for a few months before I got a match." Light frowned. Eva was such a kind person. She went out of her way for everyone. A world that could let someone like her suffer was…rotten._

 _"What scumbags." Eva sat up and looked at Light. "Those protesters, not your father." he clarified. She smiled and turned toward the ocean._

 _"I don't think so. They were worried. It was a horrifying conflict that killed so many civilians on the ground in Iraq. It eventually escalated into the Iraq War and, well…it seems like one damaged kidney in the grand scheme of things isn't that important. They were right for protesting. It was just an accident." Light was amazed by the smile on her face. How could she find so much forgiveness and optimism? Would he have done the same thing?_

 _"I don't know. This world seems rotten."_

 _"Huh?" Their eyes met. She laughed. The wind carried the scent of her perfume to him. "I think it's beautiful." No, she was beautiful, and she deserved so much more._

* * *

A sudden flash of black brought Light out of his thoughts. He watched it fall and land on the ground _—_ a book from the skies. He eyed it, completely captivated. _A notebook?_ He patiently waited for the class to end and made his way down to the quad. Students chatted, gossiped, and he made a beeline for the book. He looked around before picking it up. _Death Note._ He flipped it open and snickered. _This is a Shinigami notebook. Ridiculous. Worse than those chain letters._ He held it out to drop it, but something kept him from following through.

"This is stupid." he mumbled, tucking it into his bag and heading home. Why was he holding onto this thing? It was just some stupid prank. Why did it bother him so much? He opened up his front door and stepped into the house. "I'm home." He ran up the stairs and dropped his bag. He opened up his curtains and lifted the closed window, pulling his upper body through it. He reached across the small back alley and tapped on the window of the next house over. The curtains shuffled and he smiled when he saw Eva. She lifted her window, too. "Hey."

"Hey! How was class?" she asked, leaning forward to try and reach for his sill. Light gave her a hand. It wasn't a long distance by any means, but Eva was such a small girl. She hadn't grown at all since their freshman year. It made him nervous as she clumsily groped for questionable support. He pulled her through his window and she dusted off her knees and adjusted her shorts.

"The same as it always is. How was chemo?"

"Two cycles down, the rest of my life to go." Eva responded with a halfhearted smile. "Hey, if I lose my hair, can I have some of yours?" she asked, tugging at his brown locks.

"Sure." Light made his way over to his bag and pulled out his books—stopping for a moment to chuckle at the Death Note. "Hey, check this out."

"What?" she asked, playing with a small figurine on his desk. He thought about it for a moment. What was stopping him from telling her?

"Um…o, shoot. I thought I had it. Never mind."

"What?" Eva asked again, staring at him now. He quickly zipped up his bag.

"It was a stupid flyer for a school dance. I thought it was funny, but I guess I forgot to grab it." Why was he lying? It was just a stupid prank. "Anyways, we worked on Riemann integration today."

"Ahh, calculus!" she took the sheets from his hands and hugged them to her chest. "You're the same in every language. Fucking terrible."

"Yea, there's a test on it the week you get back."

"Ugh. But that's not even my good week. I'm still going to be nauseous from chemo!"

"Well, power through it." Light said with a laugh, flipping open his book. "Alright, question three-eighty-five." He watched her solve equations, stopping once in a while when her hands would seize and her writing would start to get sloppy. He would get her a warm cup of water to hold so the feeling would return to her fingers, and write for her while her neuropathy settled. He only had to rush her to the bathroom once to throw up. It was better. The previous cycle, she had spent nearly the entire night clinging to the sink until all that left her body was stomach bile. It broke his heart. She was such a good person. She didn't deserve it. He thought back on their friendship. He had been so excited to learn that her parents had bought the house behind his. He had been even more excited to learn that their windows faced each other. They would sneak over the sills and…study. Just study. It was innocent and sweet—just like her. As the years passed, their friendship grew. They shared their love of politics and law. They would call out sick from school during election seasons, or during times of great political unrest, and stay in bed, watching press conferences, hearings, and debates. They would yell and scream at the TV, sometimes throwing the occasional piece of food at a particularly distasteful politician. It was so refreshing. She was his best friend…which made that day all the more devastating.

* * *

 _Light watched Eva nervously push around food on her plate as her father yelled._

 _"That bastard had the nerve to tell me that it was an 'extraordinarily rare case.' I swear, he's lucky he was on the phone with me. There was nothing stopping me from blowing his head off."_

 _"I can only imagine." Soichiro Yagami agreed._

 _"Didn't they test the transplant for malignancy beforehand?" Sachiko Yagami asked. Eva looked up at Light. It looked like her eyes were screaming 'kill me.'_

 _"They said they did, but who knows. I never saw any records of tests. They could just be lying to save themselves from a malpractice lawsuit at this point." Eva's mom responded. "They fired the transplant immunologist. That tells me someone did something wrong."_

 _"That whole damn hospital should be shut down!" Eva flinched at her father's loud voice._

 _"It was just an accident…." she squeaked out. "They're not bad people."_

 _"No, that's no damn accident. You don't give someone a cancerous transplant and get to call it an accident. Who knows how long you'll have to stay on chemotherapy?! Who knows when they'll develop a cure for renal cancer!?" Eva set down her chopsticks and grabbed her head._

 _"Are you okay?" Light asked._

 _"Just…a little lightheaded." she replied._

 _"Light, take her up to your room. Let her lie down." Sachiko said, nudging him._

 _"Yea, c'mon." Light helped Eva up and led her up the stairs at his mother's advice. He exchanged a nervous look with his father. He wasn't supposed to have girls in his room, but Eva seemed to be the one exception for his parents. Eva peeked over the banister as they made their way up the stairs and turned toward him._

 _"Sorry, I just had to get out of there. If I have cancer, I get to use it to get out of uncomfortable conversations, right?" she whispered. Light laughed._

 _"Yea, I think that's your right, like according to the law. Don't they have to give you an official card?"_

 _"I think so." They entered his room and she flopped down onto his bed. "It just pisses me off. I mean, my dad was rushing that doctor to clear the transplant the whole time, and now that he finds out that there might have been more advanced testing they could have done to check for cancer, he wants to throw the whole hospital under the bus?" She threw her arms up over her head and groaned. "That poor doctor just lost his job! All he did was miss one diagnosis. That could happen to anyone! What about the hundreds of thousands of people my dad's company has helped murder? I don't see him taking any responsibility for that!" Light sat in his chair and watched her as she continued her rant. It was naïve. It made sense that her father wanted to protect her. It made sense that he wanted to hold those who hurt her to account. Light wanted the same thing. He scowled. He was going to lose his best friend…all because of some violent protester and an incompetent doctor. Eva was sweet, but she couldn't see the world for what it was. He had been right all along. This world was rotten, and there were people that it would be better off without._

* * *

"I don't know how you do it." Light finally admitted when she pumped her fists in joy at the end of the chapter.

"What do you mean?" Eva asked. "O, it's actually pretty easy. See, I let you attend the classes, and then I just have you teach it to me. Don't tell anyone though, it's kind of a scam." She leaned close to him and whispered the last part. Light smiled and pulled on her ear. "Ow…."

"I don't know how you remain so optimistic about everything. I mean, half the time, I want to give up on law school."

"That's crazy!" Eva looked down her hands and smiled. "Actually, the truth is. I don't know how much time I have left. While I'm still around…I want to make a difference in the world. I know law school will help me do that. I want to fight for people's civil rights and justice everywhere, not just here or in the U.S." She picked up a pen and flipped open the study guide for their entrance exams. "I have in my hands the means and in my heart the will!" It was poetic. "Quiz me!"

"You're a glutton for punishment."

"That doesn't sound like test material." Eva responded, tapping the page. "C'mon, Yagami. You keep slacking and I'll knock you off your throne."

"You wish." They spent another few hours studying before he helped Eva back through the window. He closed it, pulled the curtains shut and turned back to his bag. _Death Note._ "Stupid." he mumbled again. He pulled out the book and set it on his desk, reading the rules. _The human whose name is written in this notebook shall die. This note will not take effect unless the writer has the person's face in their mind when writing his or her name. Therefore, people sharing the same name will not be affected. If the cause of death is written within forty seconds of writing the person's name, it will happen. If the cause of death is not specified, the person will simply die of a heart attack. After writing the cause of death, details of the death should be written in the next six minutes and forty seconds._ "Heh…so you can make the person die peacefully or make them suffer. Impressive that someone would put so much effort into a prank like this." Light pushed a pen to the paper, but pulled it away. _Hold on…if it actually does work, am I a murderer? …someone whose death doesn't matter, and it should be someone not connected to me. Also, I need to be able to know if they immediately died._ Light snickered. Too bad that ruled out Eva's doctor. It was stupid. He was taking this too seriously. Perhaps Eva was rubbing off on him too much. He turned on his TV to drown out the noise of his own brain.

"The killer who indiscriminately killed six people yesterday in Shinjuku's Hanka district is still locked up in the preschool with the teacher and seven children as hostages. The police suspect Otoharada Kurou, forty-two, unemployed." the anchor reported. _What the hell._ Light looked at the suspect's photograph and scribbled down his name. _Heart attack in forty seconds, right?_ He watched the clock and scoffed at himself. _Nothing. Thought so._ He reached to turn off the television when the anchor spoke up again. "O! The hostages are coming out! Seems like everyone is fine. And now the police are storming the school. Have they made the arrest!?" Light gripped the edge of his seat and kept his eyes locked on the screen. "O! They're coming back out. I don't see the suspect. What's going on? We just got word that the suspect has died! They are saying the suspect is dead!" **_Dead?!_** He spun to the notebook, eyeing it like it was something evil. "The police are saying they did not fire any shots. Could it be a suicide? According to the hostages, the suspect just collapsed." _Coincidence. One time isn't enough. This has to be a coincidence._

"Light!" His mother's voice made him jump. He quickly opened the door and looked down the stairway. She stood there at the bottom, smiling up at him. "It's six-twenty-five! Time for cram school!"

"Y-yea. I'm getting ready." he replied, rushing back into his room and jamming the notebook into his bag. _Someone…someone it doesn't matter to kill. No…someone that deserves to die._ Light dragged his feet through the class, suddenly realizing how many useless people surrounded him. There were a few guys in his class that the world could certainly do without. He quickly discarded the idea. _No, it shouldn't be someone connected to me. Then again—_ He flinched when a piece of chalk bounced off his head. The rest of the class snickered.

"Hey, nationally top ranked Yagami. Don't space out. We're counting on you to make us look good." the professor said.

"Yes…sorry." Light quickly replied. He readjusted his focus for the time being. His mind drifted back to the Death Note on his walk home. Every person he passed drew him deeper into apathy. _Truthfully…the world would be better off without all of them._ Something caught his eye: men on motorcycles harassing a young woman. Light passed by them, stepping into a store with full view of the scene once he heard the man's name. _Shibuimaru Takuo._ He positioned himself in the window of the store and opened up a magazine, pretending to read. He watched the girl reject him. He watched Shibuimaru handle it poorly, to say the least. He spelled out his name in all of the different ways that he could. _Accident._ He crossed the final t. Every tick of his watch lasted a lifetime. His eyes shot up just in time to see the girl run across the street. Shibuimaru chased her and a truck collided with him. The bike shattered into a million pieces. There was no surviving that. Light's hands shook. _That's it…the Death Note…is real._ He stumbled out of the store as a crowd began to form. He ducked into an alley and suddenly felt sick. _I've killed two people. I killed two people. I did… What should I do? A terrifying notebook like this…. No. Who cares if they died? It's what I'm always thinking._ Light pictured Eva. He thought about how frightened she must have been when that mob formed around her. _This world is_ _ **rotten**_ _._ He thought about how carelessly that man had stomped on that tiny girl. _The rotten should_ _ **die**_ _._ _Someone has to do it. Things can't remain as they are! No, I can't quit. Even if it costs me my mind and life. I can do it. No,_ _ **only**_ _I can do it. I'll use the Death Note and change the world._ He pictured Eva's smiling face and heard her melodic voice. _I think it's beautiful._ He would make it beautiful for her.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note:** Alright! So, I got a really interesting question about the title of the story in my PM and I wanted to address it. I titled this fanfic "Apples to Oranges" for the obvious reason of the differences in Light and Eva's world views. They both share the same goals, but their methodologies for getting there are so different that it's like comparing apples to oranges. The other reason I titled it that was because (as we all know) Death Note is ripe with religious allegory. I really wanted to see if I could successfully introduce the idea of a Virgin Mary/Eve figure since we have so much reference to the original sin (which is also why I named her Eva—Eve would have probably been a bit too on the nose). So, this is where my inner art history nerd came out: during the renaissance when Madonna and Child paintings were really popular, oranges were commonly regarded as another fruit that was associated with the Tree of Knowledge, but soon became a symbol of redemption rather than sin because it was often seen in relation to Mary as her overcoming Eve's fall and Jesus redeeming Adam's sins. Art history is super fun. So that's where the title came from, and those are the elements I'm going to try and introduce into this story. Hopefully it's successful!

Thank you for your reviews! I really appreciate them! I hope you enjoy this chapter!

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

* * *

Light laid in bed, covering himself as much as he could with the blanket. Only a small opening at the top of his head allowed for adequate amounts of air to keep him functioning. He wanted his eyes to be covered. He couldn't fall asleep, but he dare not glance around the dark and threatening room. Every creak and bump forced him to twitch with discomfort. His heart raced. He hadn't slept in four days. He had lost weight—noticeable weight. At this rate, he would drive himself mad before any devil came to claim his soul. A knock on the window startled him. His heart nearly leaped up out of his throat. Light slowly turned his head, peeking over the covers. Just an empty room. That's all. He was losing his mind. Another knock on the window—harder this time. He jumped with each tap. He was suddenly so aware of every movement in his quiet room. Every wisp of wind, every rustle of his curtains, every uncertain beat of his heart. He wasn't sure when he had sat up, but he had. He stared at the window, trying to force down his fear. The vibration of the cellphone under his pillow undid his hard work. His heart skipped a beat and quickly reached for it, checking the message. The bright glow of the screen nearly blinded him. He tried to adjust his eyes.

"You up? I knocked." he read out loud. His voice broke. It was pathetic. Hearing the fear in him returned some strength to his body. Light sent a quick text back and with one swift movement, rushed to the window, swung the curtains open and pulled up the glass. The cold, early December air greeted him, as did Eva's surprised face. She pulled herself through her window and into his.

"Sorry to bother you so late." she whispered.

"It's no problem. I was up anyways." he replied nonchalantly. He was so happy to see her. He was so happy she was with him. He chuckled at himself—at his previous behavior. It all seemed so silly now that he was with Eva. What was he so afraid of? What did he think was going to happen to him? He had been gifted—blessed even—with the means to do something truly wonderful. He could fix the world. He could renew it. He could save it. He could save her. Light watched Eva walk to his bed and plop down. Her back was turned to him, but he could tell she was upset. He could always tell. She ran her fingers across his pillow.

"Can I sleep in here with you tonight?" It was an innocent request she had made countless times in the past when her nightmares would get particularly bad. Light felt stupid. He had been so terrified of a demon he had invented in his head. Eva's tear stained face reminded him of the real demons that had harmed her. Ones that she had chosen to forgive. He would not forgive them. He would punish them.

"Of course." He slipped under the covers with her, holding her tiny body against his. She was so warm. The feeling of her slender arms around him brought him more comfort than anything he could imagine.

"Thanks, Light. I love you." Eva whispered before burying her face in his chest. He knew she meant love in a platonic sense. She had said it to him several times in the past. But, sometimes, Light liked to pretend that it was something more, just as he did now. He closed his eyes and let the smell of her shampoo fill his lungs.

"I love you, too, Eva." He whispered back, and for the first time in four days, Light slept soundly in her embrace.

* * *

Light's face twitched in response to the delicate fingers grazing it. He opened his eyes and smiled. Eva always looked beautiful, but something about her looked particularly beautiful this morning. Her lips pushed out into a pout and her brow pulled together, drawing a single crease above the bridge of her nose. She ran her thumb under his eyes.

"Hey…." she whispered, letting her hand rest on his cheek. "You have bags under your eyes."

"Yea." Light admitted. "I haven't really been sleeping the last couple of days." Eva sat up, running a hand through her black hair, trying to smooth out her bedhead. Light didn't care. It looked gorgeous.

"You need to sleep, Yagami." she chastised him. "Don't work so hard."

"I'll try." Light assured her with a smile. She returned the sentiment.

"Thanks for letting me crash here last night."

"Anytime." He stroked her bare arm. "Are the nightmares getting any better?" She nodded.

"A little."

"Good." Light sat up and kissed her forehead. "I have to get ready to school. Same time today for homework?"

"Yea." They lingered on his bed for a moment. Getting up and going their separate ways was never easy, especially after nights when they'd hold each other. The minutes on the clock ticked away and Light finally forced himself out of the warmth of the sheets and her vicinity. The winter air chilled him. It was an unfortunate reminder of the distance between them that only he noticed. No…maybe that wasn't right. Maybe Eva noticed it, too. Light helped her back through the window and into her room. If he could just work up the courage to tell her. He had never been scared of rejection before. Or perhaps he had never really cared if he would be rejected. No other girl had meant that much to him. It may have been momentarily embarrassing, sure. It would have been nothing compared to being rejected by Eva. It would devastate him. Maybe even enough to write his own name in the Death Note. He immediately rejected the idea. Eva was his best friend, and he would show her that there was more between them. It was undeniable, right?

* * *

Light hardly recognized the voice that left his mouth. Was that him screaming? He had never been so terrified in his entire life. The demon was real. It was real. He was right to be terrified. It had come for his soul and he was going to pay the price for his sins. _Eva…._ If only he could have told her how much he loved her. If only he could have had just a little bit more time. The demon's shadowy figure towered over him. Its eyes glowed, nearly bulging out of its head. A crooked smile played across its massive jaw, revealing sharp teeth. Even in the dark, Light could see the stitches that seemed to hold its neck to its torso. It held up a claw and pointed at him.

"Why are you so surprised to see me? I'm Ryuk, the Shinigami who dropped that notebook. The way you were acting just now, I can tell you know it isn't just any old notebook…right?"

"S-shinigami?" Light stuttered out. _A god of death?_ This was far worse than a demon. He swallowed his fear and stood, steadying himself with the support of his desk chair. The shock of Ryuk's arrival had sent him tumbling down onto his back, but he couldn't quite remember when or how. It was just as unfamiliar as the scream that left him. "I'm not surprised to see you, Ryuk. In fact, I've been waiting for you."

"Really?"

"Gee…a personal visit from a god of death…how kind of you." Light picked up the notebook, savoring what would most likely be his last few moments of life. "Not that I doubted this was a god of death's notebook, but seeing things with my own eyes like this only makes me more certain of my actions." He opened up the notebook for Ryuk to see, and saw a twisted smile grow across the god's face. A dry chuckle left his menacing lips as he grabbed the notebook from Light's hands.

"This is amazing. Gotta say, I'm impressed. I've heard of Death Notes getting down to the human world a few times before, but no one's ever written this many names in just five days." Ryuk moved his eyes from the notebook and met Light's gaze. "Most people would be too scared."

"I'm ready for anything, Ryuk." Light assured him. It was a lie. Light would have given anything to walk away with his life. "I used the notebook knowing it belonged to a god of death and now the god of death is here. What happens to me now? …you take my soul or something?"

"Huh?" A wisp of wind shuffled the curtains, throwing a bit of light onto Ryuk's face, illuminating what seemed to be genuine surprise. "What's that? Some fantasy you humans came up with? I'm not going to do anything to you." _Nothing?_ "The moment a Death Note lands in the human world, it belongs to the human world. So, it's yours now."

"Mine…?"

"If you don't want it, give it to another human. When you do, I'll just have to erase all your memories of the notebook." A loud knock on the window interrupted their chat. Light jumped. "Expecting someone? Other than a god of death?" Ryuk mocked.

"I-it's my friend." Light didn't want to let Eva in. He didn't want her to see this creature. He didn't want to put her in harm's way. She knocked again.

"You can let your friend in. Since you've used what was my notebook, you're the only one who can see me. Nobody else can hear me either, of course. The Death Note is the bond between Light the human and Ryuk the god of death."

"The bond…?" Would this thing be following him around? Another knock interrupted him. He quickly shuffled to the window and opened the curtains. Eva's concerned face stared back at him. He let her in.

"Light! I was so worried about you! I heard you scream and I called and texted but you didn't answer! Are you okay?" She cupped his face in her hands Light forced a smile.

"Yea, I'm fine. I just fell." Relief washed over her face and she hugged him. Ryuk's laugh still made him tense. "H-hey…I have a few things to do before we study today. Can we do it an hour later?"

"Yea, of course." Eva answered. She pulled away and looked up at him, her nose and brow scrunching with concern. "Are you sure you're okay? You look…worried."

"Yea, I'm fine. I think the lack of sleep is just catching up with me." he explained.

"Okay…. Just text me when you're ready."

"I will." Light led her to the window, she stopped and gave him one more doleful look.

"You'd tell me if something was wrong…right?" Light shouldn't have been surprised by her ability to pick up on every shift in his mood. They had certainly spent enough time together. He smiled at her, genuinely this time. He was happy to have someone that cared so deeply about him.

"Yea, I would." he assured her. A cute smile appeared on her lips.

"Okay!" She trusted him. Maybe she shouldn't have. Light closed the window and the curtain behind her, returning his attention to Ryuk.

"Is that your girlfriend?" the god asked. "She seems too good for you." he stated plainly with a chuckle. Light ignored him.

"So, there's really no price to pay for using the Death Note?" Light asked.

"Well, not exactly. There is the terror and torment that only humans who use it have experienced, and, when you die, I'll be the one writing your name in my Death Note. But don't think that any human who's used the Death Note can go to heaven or to hell." _Neither heaven…nor hell._ Light suddenly noticed Ryuk was hovering over him, and he took a step back. "That's all. You'll find out about that after you die." _Neither heaven, nor hell._ Light smirked.

"I think…that's enough for me to understand. There's neither a heaven nor a hell, is there, Ryuk?"

"You really are impressive, Light. I thought all humans believed in heaven or hell." Ryuk's smile deepened. "But it's as you said. Heaven and hell don't exist. In the afterlife, whatever you've done in your life, you will still go to the same place. Death is equal. All humans will surely die. After death, their destination is nothingness."

"O-okay…one more question." Light pressed his luck. "Why did you choose me?"

"Huh?" Ryuk began to laugh again. Those dry, raspy laughs. "Don't flatter yourself. All I did was drop the notebook. That's all. You thought I **chose** you? 'Cause you're so smart or something? It just happened to land somewhere around here, and you just happened to pick it up. That's why I wrote the instructions in English, it's the most popular language in your world."

"Then why did you drop it?!" Light demanded, annoyed by the god's nonchalant attitude. "Don't tell me it was by mistake after you went and wrote all those instructions.

"Why did I drop it?" Ryuk repeated. His smile grew. His shark like teeth poked out from under his lips. "Because I was bored." _Bored?_ "It might be a weird thing for a god of death to say, but I just didn't feel like I was really alive…. Actually, gods of death these days don't have a lot to do. All they do is nap, or gamble. If they see you scribbling humans' names in your Death Note, they say, 'what're you working so hard for,' and laugh at you." Ryuk pointed a single, sharp, claw-like finger at Light. "When we're in our realm, killing people in the human world isn't any fun. I can't kill other gods of death by writing their names in the notebook. It's more fun to be down here, is how I figured it. I was sick of It all."

"I was sick of it all, too." Light admitted. "Of course, I didn't believe it at first, but that notebook has a power that makes anybody want to try using it, at least once." Light kicked out his desk chair, taking a seat on it. "I admit, it's been giving me nightmares, and I've hardly slept the last five days. I've lost a lot of weight. Still, I'm on a mission. So, I've been writing down the names of the world's most brutal criminals. All the data I need is in my room. Twenty-four-seven news cycles on the TV plus all the records on the internet." Ryuk picked up the Death Note again and flipped through it.

"But you only specified the cause of death for the guy who got hit by a truck, nobody else, how come? Can't be bothered?"

"If you don't specify the cause of death, they all die from a heart attack." Light explained gleefully. "That's the best thing about the Death Note, Ryuk. I've already covered the most vicious criminals. So, now, the level of atrocity is coming down, and every single one of them will die of a heart attack. Even a fool is going to notice that somebody is knocking down the bad guys." Light stood and walked over to his balcony, opening the curtains and letting the setting sun spill into his room. "I'm going to make the whole world acknowledge my existence. They'll all recognize that someone is passing down righteous judgement on them! Then nobody will commit crimes anymore. The world will start to become a better place, and while people who obviously deserve to be punished are dying of heart attacks, I'll gradually be killing off immoral people and people who harass others through illness and accidents." Light glanced at the USB on his desk. The one with the names and faces of Eva's attacker and her immunologist. "Even that will eventually be noticed by the masses. They'll realize they'll die if they don't change their ways. I'll make this world inhabited by only kind and good people." Light stared out into the street and down at the passing people.

"But if you do that, the only bastard left will be you." _Bastard?_ Light turned to face Ryuk. "What are you talking about? I'm a straight-A student, a model teenager, thought to be one of Japan's best and brightest, and I…I will reign over the new world." Ryuk laughed again. _A god. A righteous god. A just god._


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note:** I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving (if you celebrate it; if not, I hope you had a wonderful Thursday)! I'm finally pumping out some chapters over break!

* * *

 **Chapter 3**

* * *

"What's this?" Light asked, grabbing a folder from under a pile of Eva's books. He knew every one of her notebooks and textbooks as well as his own. He had never seen this folder before.

"O, those are my notes on those heart attack deaths that have been dominating the news cycle." Eva responded, keeping her eyes on the calculus equation.

"Kira…is that what they've named the perpetrator?" Light thumbed through the pages: print outs from websites denouncing Kira as a mass murdering maniac, and others that found him to be a righteous lawgiver. He glanced at the papers in the second pocket: criminal profiles, comprehensive background checks, toxicology reports at the time of death, autopsy reports, coroner's report, pathology reports, and so on. He smirked. Her mother always indulged and spoiled Eva, even at the risk of doing some ethically questionable things. He looked up and met Eva's eyes. "This is really inappropriate." He shut the folder.

"Hey, she's my mom. She's allowed to share things with me." Eva retorted.

"That's not what I mean." Light clarified, holding up the folder for her to see. "You're keeping track of this incredibly serious case in this folder?"

"What's wrong with it?" she asked with a small pout.

"Eva…it's pink with a picture of a cartoon pug." She snatched the folder from his hand and he laughed.

"His name is Edgar Allan Pug."

"You're such a dork." he teased, watching her lovingly glance down at the folder and smile. Light never thought he would be jealous of a cartoon pug named after a dead poet. He nervously chewed on his lip and decided to just come out with it. "So, which camp are you in?"

"Huh? What do you mean?" Eva asked, seeming genuinely surprised by his question. Her lips were parted slightly and her eyes were wide with intrigue.

"Pro-Kira or Anti-Kira?" he clarified. She raised an eyebrow at him.

"Anti-Kira, of course." He felt a jab of disappointment in his heart. She dug through the folder, pulling out a few pieces of paper. "I think Kira is getting all of his information the fast and sloppy way. There was a news report of a guy who had murdered 5 people at his place of work, but the network accidentally posted a mugshot of the guy from the previous story." Eva pointed to the mugshot. Light remembered writing his name in the notebook. It was a heinous crime. The guy had gunned down his coworkers mercilessly. There was a recording of a woman begging for her life. It had shaken Light to the core. "Kira didn't kill the gunman. He killed Lynden Beaumont, a man whose life sentence had just been overturned by a federal judge. He was falsely accused of assault over three decades ago. He was fifty-seven years old at the time of his release, and died the same day." Eva's voice cracked and Light looked up into her teary eyes. "How could anyone support a monster that could do something like that?" _Monster…._ Is that what she thought of him? It pained him.

"You're right. It's unforgivable." Light whispered, flipping through the pages. He had been careless. His brow furrowed in resentment. But…it couldn't be helped. There were so many criminals. He thought he was on borrowed time. Mistakes like these were bound to happen. How could he prevent them? How was he supposed to know that the news station messed up? It was unfortunate, but necessary for the creation of a new world—a better world. Revolution had never been clean. In fact, his was probably the cleanest. Why was Eva acting like this? Over one wrongful death? Couldn't she see there was something bigger at work here? Light looked over to Eva as she quietly sniffled and wiped her tears. Ryuk's shadow hung over her and he laughed.

"Seems she won't accept you as her god. What are you going to do, Light?" Ryuk asked mockingly. Light scowled. He crawled over the books on the floor in front of them and wrapped himself around Eva. She leaned into his embrace.

"It'll be okay, Eva. Don't cry." She was too kind, too pure, too naïve. She couldn't see the world for the cesspool that it was. It had to be fixed at all costs—for her.

"It just really bothers me…how can someone be so cruel?" Eva mumbled into Light's chest.

"She **is** too good for you." Ryuk chortled.

* * *

Eva kept her green eyes glued to the screen. She let out a small gasp, her mouth agape.

"Mom! Mom! Will you send a text from my phone to Light? Tell him to turn on the TV!" she asked, waving her arm behind her, holding out her phone.

"What? Why can't you do it?" her mother asked, leaning forward from her position on the couch and taking her cell.

"I don't wanna miss anything!" Eva replied. She kneeled in front of the coffee table, gripping it tightly as she waited for the special announcement to begin. Each passing moment seemed to draw her closer and closer to the TV as she leaned over the table.

"Jeez, you and Light text a lot." her mom said, typing out the message. Eva ignored it.

"It better all be age appropriate. What are the kids doing now? Sexting?" her father commented.

"O my god, dad. Sh!" Eva groaned. "I don't want to miss any of the broadcast!"

"I know what kids get up to with new technology. It's my job." he reminded her. Eva rolled her eyes.

"Mom, make him stop!" she pleaded.

"Yea, settle down, Walter Cronkite." her mother chimed in, grabbing her father's hand and pulling him onto the couch with her. "I know you've got your finger on the pulse of youth culture, but Eva's different." He frowned.

"I'm not as old as Walter Cronkite…." he defended.

"You sound it when you talk about 'what the kids get up to with the new technologies.'" her mom mocked. Eva laughed. "O! Light texted you back, he said he's watching."

"Good! It could start any minute!" Eva could barely contain her excitement. A live, globally televised broadcast from Interpol about the Kira case. She had heard rumblings that L was involved now. It would only be a matter of time before Kira was caught and sentenced for his crimes. The screen crackled and a man in a suit and tie appeared. He looked to be around his late twenties or early thirties, with chin length black hair and a slender face. Eva tilted her head as she read the name in front of him. _Lind L. Tailor_. "Mom…is that L?"

"I never met him." her mother admitted. "I wouldn't even recognize his voice. I only ever heard him talk through a voice scrambler." The man shuffled a few papers before looking into the camera and leaning forward into the mic in front of him.

"I head up an international police task force which includes all member nations. I am Lind L. Tailor, more commonly known as 'L.'" _L…._

"He's so cool!" Eva squealed with excitement, bringing her hands up to cup her cheeks. Goosebumps raised across her skin.

"Yea, I never thought L would be so handsome. To be honest, I kind of expected him to be some lanky weirdo hiding in dark rooms." her mom muttered.

"Criminals have been the target of a killing spree which has turned into the biggest mass murder case in history." Lind continued. "This monstrous crime must be stopped at all costs. 'Kira,' as the perpetrator is commonly known, will be caught. I will hunt him down."

"Yay! Go L!" Eva cheered.

"Kira, I think I've got a pretty good idea of what you hope to achieve, but what you're doing is evil."

"Yes! Exactly!" Eva agreed, holding a conversation with a man who could not hear her vehement support. It was doubtful if she would ever even meet him. Eva smiled, a slight blush appearing across her face. She would give anything to meet him.

"Police worldwide have launched a coordinated investigation in order to—" Lind stopped in mid-sentence and Eva's smile faded when he gripped his chest. He let out a soft groan and keeled over. _Dead?_

"Is he…." Eva watched men drag the body off screen. Tears blurred her view. "…dead?"

"Okay, that's enough." her mother grabbed the remote and Eva wrapped her hands around her mother's wrists.

"No!" she objected, tears falling down her cheeks.

"Eva! Look at yourself! You shouldn't be watching—"

"I don't believe it." a scrambled voice said through the TV. The pair stopped their squabbling and turned to the screen. A large capital letter L in Cloister Black font appeared.

"…that's L." her mother whispered.

"This was an experiment to test a hunch I had, but I never really thought…. Kira…it seems you can actually kill people without direct contact. So, my hunch was right. I couldn't believe it until I saw it with my own eyes, but you can. You'd have to, in fact. Otherwise it just didn't make any sense." the voice said.

"What's going on?" Eva asked, sniffling.

"Listen to me, Kira. If you did indeed just kill Lind L. Tailor, you should know the man you saw die on your TV was an inmate whose execution was scheduled for today. That was not me."

"L…." Eva whispered, pulling herself into her mother's arms for comfort.

"That damn L. He nearly gave **me** a heart attack." her mother grumbled.

"His arrest and conviction were kept secret from the media, so you wouldn't have heard about him on TV or the internet. It seems even **you** don't have access to information about those types of criminals."

"He's so cool…." Eva reaffirmed.

"But I assure you, L is real. I do exist. Now, try and kill me. What's wrong? Hurry up! C'mon! Right now! Kill me!"

"What's he doing?!" Eva squeaked, halfway burying her face in her mother's chest, but peeking out with one eye.

"Liliana, this is too much for Eva." her father stepped in. "We already saw one man die, are we going to watch another?" He waited for a response, but when neither of the girls acknowledged him, he raised his voice. "Liliana!"

"Ben, it's fine!" she shot back. He threw up his hands and leaned back against the couch with a heavy roll of his eyes.

"Can't you do it?" L taunted. "Well, Kira, it seems that you can't kill me after all. So, there are people you can't kill. You've given me a useful hint. Let me return the favor: I'll tell you something that I think you'll find interesting. Although this was announced as a global broadcast, we were actually only broadcasting in the Kanto region of Japan. The plan was to broadcast live to other areas one by one, but that's no longer necessary. I now know where you are. The police treated your first killing as an unrelated accident, but in actuality, the first of your killings was a suspect in Shinjuku."

"Shinjuku…why does that sound familiar?" Liliana asked, turned to Ben.

"That was the guy who took a bunch of preschool kids hostage and ended up dying of a heart attack." Eva explained.

"Of all the notorious criminals that initially died of heart attacks, his crimes were by far the least serious. Furthermore, his crimes were only ever reported in Japan. I used that information to deduce this much: you are in Japan, and your first victim was little more than a guinea pig, which means you haven't been killing for very long. We decided to broadcast in Kanto first because of its large population, and, luckily, we found you." L explained.

"Amazing…." Eva whispered. Being walked through L's process was incredible. It was possibly the single most thrilling moment of her life.

"To be completely honest with you, I never expected that things would go this well, but it won't be too long now before I am able to sentence you to death. Naturally, I'm very interested to know how you're able to commit these murders without being present, but I don't mind waiting a bit longer. You can answer all of my questions when I catch you. Let's meet again soon, Kira." The channel went dead.

"He's so cool…." Eva repeated for the third time. "I have to talk to Light!" She grabbed the phone from her mother and ran up the stairs. She bolted to her window and opened it, leaning out to tap on Light's glass. He opened his window. "Did you see?! Did you see it, Light?!"

"Yea…I saw." Light seemed less than pleased. Eva understood, she was worried when she thought L had died as well.

"L is so amazing! He's the best!"

"He's…something else, alright."

* * *

Light retreated into the comfort of his sheets, pulling them over his head in an effort to drown out Ryuk's annoying laughter. He hadn't stopped laughing since his conversation with Eva.

"Losing out to L in a battle of wits and charm all in one night?" Ryuk choked out between hoots. "How unfortunate for you." _Stupid, annoying, unbearable god of death…_. "Is that why you asked her to go get coffee with you tomorrow? Hoping to change her mind?" Another uproarious laugh. _I wonder if there's a way to kill a god of death._ Light dismissed the thought. Knowing his luck, he was probably stuck with Ryuk for a long time.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note:** Seeing as exams are right around the corner, it's obviously my time to procrastinate. Great for everyone that's been waiting for an update to this story, terrible for my grades. You can totally show me how much you appreciate me not studying by leaving a review lol jk. Except about the review part. Do that. I love you guys.

* * *

 **Chapter 4**

* * *

Light's lips twitched in his sleep. He shifted uncomfortably, his eyebrows furrowing and his mouth twisting into a pained snarl. A jolt of anxiety passed through him, waking him. His eyes bulged and his spine arched as a sharp breath was inhaled deeply into his lungs. He was embarrassed by his panicked state when he noticed the god of death staring at him.

"You sure do talk a lot in your sleep." Ryuk noted before returning his attention to the half-eaten apple in his hand. Light ignored the comment. He wasn't even partially curious as to what he had been saying. The dream was still vivid and clear in his head.

* * *

"Do you remember that dance class we took last year?" Light suddenly asked. Eva nearly choked on her hot chocolate. She nodded as she tried to cough the warm drink out of her lungs, and Light laughed at her.

"What made you think of that?" she finally asked when her throat had been soothed.

"I had a dream about it last night." he admitted.

"O god." Eva replied, hiding her face behind her hands. "I still have nightmares about it." When she peeked at him over her lowered fingers, Light could just barely make out the slight blush on her cheeks and the pearly whites of her sheepish smile.

"You know the orchestra still talks about it?" Light teased.

"Shut up!" Eva responded, retreating behind her hands once again.

"Only in positive terms." he assured. She slapped her hands down onto the coffee table and immediately flinched at the loudness of it. She glanced around the mostly empty coffee shop, looking for patrons that she might have disturbed. When none seemed to show any clear signs of awareness regarding her miniature fit, she turned her eyes back to Light and glared.

"There is nothing positive about my heel breaking halfway through our final performance and me falling into the orchestra pit."

"No, I think they were happier with your dress flipping up and catching a glance of your thong." Light corrected. Eva groaned and put her head down on the table.

"So embarrassing…." she grumbled before snapping her head up. "And I was only wearing a thong because I didn't want lines showing up on the dress."

"No, of course." Light nodded in feigned agreement, but failed to keep a mischievous smirk from appearing on his lips.

"Did we at least get an A in your dream?" Eva asked, stirring more marshmallows into her hot chocolate. Light glanced at her for a moment, wondering if he should reveal the full context of his nightmare.

"I think the lack of sleep is catching up with me." he finally said. "It was a bit off."

"Off how?" she asked curiously.

"Off like…we weren't in school. We were performing the same dance, but in some barren, desolate wasteland."

"Sounds like my grandpa's hometown in Arizona." Eva joked.

"Honestly, it didn't even look earthly. Everything was so grey…."

"So, what happened?" Images from the nightmare began flooding his mind again.

"Um…you hurt your ankle." It was a watered down lie at best. Light wouldn't have minded the barren landscape, the lack of life, or anything else as long as he was with Eva. But his dream had taken a twisted turn when he began observing it as if he were having an out of body experience. He was no longer the Light dancing with Eva. He was just watching this man, who admittedly looked exactly like him, handle Eva so roughly and carelessly. She flinched at how he grabbed her arms and how he spun her. When she couldn't keep up with the speed or the intensity of his motions, she tripped over her feet and fell onto the dusty ground, holding her injured ankle. Light's doppelgänger had just stared down at her. _Light, help me…it hurts._ The doppelgänger had reached down and roughly grabbed her ankle, forcing Eva onto her back. Her black dress sprawled elegantly around her. Her black hair lay in perfect waves around her head. Her face, though touched by terror, remained as beautiful as it had always been. She looked up at him with tears in her eyes. _Light, please stop…please._ One by one, the doppelgänger began to break the bones in Eva's body. Her bloodcurdling screams still echoed in his head.

"That's a bummer. Was it at least graceful?" Eva asked. Her voice brought him out of the terrifying thoughts. He would never hurt Eva. All he wanted was to protect her. How could he even dream about causing a moment of pain to her?

"Very graceful." Light forced a smile. "How's chemo going?" He forced the change in subject to pull his mind away from the nightmare.

"Enh." Eva shrugged. "It's going. There isn't really an improvement with this regimen, but at least it's not getting worse. My doctor is going to try another adjustment if we don't start seeing results in the next couple of months."

"Can't they just change it now?" Light asked.

"Well, considering my dad is in the process of suing an entire hospital out of business for a minor mistake, I'm assuming they're going to make sure they're exhausting every possibility before moving onto a different treatment." Eva squeezed a marshmallow between her fingers before dropping it into the hot chocolate. She propped her head up against her hand and sighed. "I feel like a guinea pig. I just wish the doctors weren't so nervous around me because of my dad…maybe then they'd feel comfortable moving me onto different treatments." Light reached over and grabbed her hand, knowing it did little to comfort her.

"It'll be fine." he assured. "They'll find something. Your dad's just trying to look out for you."

"I know…." Eva mumbled. Light frowned at her sullen face. Now he opted to change the subject for her sanity.

"Have you seen the new United Nations crime statistics? Nearly every country is posting record low rates of crime." Eva glared at Light. "What?" he asked.

"I'm assuming that's because of Kira?"

"It's definitely correlated with Kira." Light admitted. It hurt to see her react so negatively to what he perceived to be good news. "Regardless, isn't it a good thing?" he pushed.

"I don't know, was it a good thing that unemployment rates were near 0% during slavery?" Eva pushed back. Light flinched at Ryuk's sudden laugh. He had almost forgotten that a god of death was lingering over his shoulder at all times.

"She's quick on her feet." Ryuk commented.

"Those are hardly comparable." Light argued.

"How can you say that? People are being forced into behaving and operating in a certain way due to external threats that they can't possibly combat." Eva pulled her hand away from Light's. _Why is she being so unreasonable?_

"Except one was an exploitation of labor against the will of those people and the other is a protection of all peoples."

"I don't wanna talk about this!" Eva said, suddenly standing up. "You're sounding like one of those Kira supporters!" Light sighed and swallowed his anger. He needed to learn to control his temper. He got so irrational around her.

"I'm sorry. I'm not trying to sound like that." he said through gritted teeth. "Look, just sit, we'll talk about something else." Eva gave him a skeptical look before flopping down into the booth again.

"I'm sorry, too. I didn't—I wasn't mad at you. It's just been a frustrating couple of days." She reached her hand out to him and smiled. Light gladly took it, returning the sentiment. "Still friends?" she asked playfully.

"Don't be stupid." Light shot back through a smirk. Her melodic laugh soothed him.

* * *

"What are you doing?" Eva asked her father as he lingered outside of her mother's office door. He jumped at her voice, trying to nonchalantly transition his ear away from the door.

"I was just…leaning." he responded.

"Leaning?" Eva asked with an amused smirk. "Because it kind of looks like you're eavesdropping on mom's call."

"I'm not doing that." he assured.

"Anything juicy?" Eva asked, pushing her ear against the door. "Who is she talking to?" The door swung open to Liliana's accusatory glare.

"You two know I'm on a federally monitored call that requires a TS/SCI clearance, right?" she asked.

"Is that Eva and Ben?" the voice on the speaker phone asked. Eva's smile grew and she ran past her mother to the landline on her desk.

"Steve! How are you?!" Eva cooed into the phone.

"I'm doing well, Eva. I heard you've been having some health issues. How are you feeling?" Steve Mason replied.

"Better!" Eva said enthusiastically. "I heard you got promoted to FBI director! Congratulations!"

"O, yea. Living the dream…." Steve replied sarcastically.

"How are you, Steve?" Ben asked, walking past his wife and joining his daughter.

"Excuse me, none of this is according to protocol!" Lilianna huffed with crossed arms.

"Jeez, was mom this strict when you dated her, Steve?" Eva asked with a smirk, knowing how much her mother's relationship history got under her father's skin, and presumably served as the purpose for his eavesdropping.

"Of course. You know she reported me for breach of protocol during a case I practically handed to her with a ribbon?"

"After you two broke up?" Ben asked.

"No, after our second date." Steve clarified.

"Wow! And you two lasted almost three years?" Eva said with a laugh. Liliana frowned and began pushing Eva and Ben out of the room. "Ah! Mom's kicking us out! Miss you, Steve! Come visit soon!" Eva couldn't make out the man's response before the heavy door of the office shut behind her and her father.

"You had to bring up their dating history?" he asked, frowning at his daughter.

"Don't take it so hard, dad. It was way before mom met you. Besides, he's a really nice guy. You know he just sees mom as a good friend." Ben smiled and placed his hand on Eva's head.

"Don't you have some studying to do?"

"Unfortunately. I don't even remember what I came out here for when I saw you going all James Bond on mom." Eva replied with a pout, making her way back to her room.

* * *

Eva chewed nervously on her bottom lip as she sat in the dark hallway of her house, clutching her glass of water.

"Are you sure you want to be involved in this?" her father's voice was muffled through the bedroom door, but she could make out the words.

"Well…on the plus side, it's great for my consulting business." Liliana replied.

"On the minus, you could end up dead." Ben rebutted.

"I don't think Kira is going to start targeting legal consultants."

"He tried to kill an investigator. I really don't think you should get involved."

"As of now, I just gave advice to Steve. He got nervous. Hell, anyone would be after getting a call like that."

"Lilianna, I just don't know. This could devolve really quickly into something that our family isn't ready for."

"You don't have to tell me twice. L's FBI investigation of the Japanese police is a big enough deal, but it just feels so much more personal. The Yagamis have been so good to us. It's unfortunate that I can't send them any kind of a warning." Lilianna's voice faded toward the end of her sentence, and Ben laughed.

"Am I hearing this correctly? From Miss Protocol?"

"Relax, I'm obviously not going to say anything. Besides, it's going to begin and end before I even get a chance. L moves quickly." Eva stood and quietly tip-toed back to her room, setting the glass of water on her desk. She opened her window and reached across the alley to tap the glass of Light's window. A strange feeling bubbled up inside of her. She knew she was in the wrong. She shouldn't be doing this. It could hinder L's investigation. But this was Light's family…this was Light. There was no chance of Kira being in this household. None whatsoever. She was sure of it.

"Hey." Light said with a smile as he lifted his window. "Coming over?" His smile dropped when he saw Eva's serious face.

"I have to tell you something, but you have to swear you won't tell anyone."

"Okay…." Light agreed hesitantly as she crawled into his bedroom. Eva went straight for his office chair and pulled it out for him.

"You may want to sit for this."

* * *

Ryuk glanced around the abandoned building and frowned. The place was a disgusting wreck, no better than the Shinigami Realm.

"I don't think you came here because you enjoy the ambience. What're you up to, Light?" he asked the young man digging through his bag. Light pulled out a few minor construction supplies and began tinkering with them.

"Whoever touches the Death Note can see you, right?" he asked, still a bit irritated at learning this critical piece of information so late in the game. "That's a problem. Even more so with this FBI investigation."

"Yea, you can't exactly pass me off as 'a friend.'" Ryuk joked.

"Nope, my sister would have a heart attack just from seeing your face. I don't even wanna know how Eva would react. She's still afraid of the dark."

"The dark? Really?" Ryuk chuckled. "She has so much more to be afraid of." Light gave Ryuk a momentary glance. _Is that in reference to something specific?_ He turned his eyes back to the lighter in his hand, testing the flame.

"I want to hide the notebook in my room, where I can easy take it out and put it back. At the same time, it has to be some place my family would never touch it." Light finished the contraption and smiled, tilting it in his hands to check for any deficiencies.

"What is it?" Ryuk asked, observing the strange circuitry on the piece of wood.

"You'll see when we get home." Light replied, packing up his bag and heading back to his house.

"Fine, can I ask you another question?"

"Mm…." Light responded, passing by a stranger on the sidewalk.

"Your dad's the NPA's Chief of Detectives, so you can use him to find out what the cops know, and that's the advantage you were talking about if the cops start closing in." Ryuk thought out loud.

"That's right. I can even access my dad's computer from mine without leaving a trail. So, I can stay right on top of the investigation."

"But why did you deliberately do something to make L suspect people involved in the investigation? Isn't it a lot worse to have him realize you have a link to the cops than to have him think you're a student? Won't this FBI investigation cause serious issues for you?" Ryuk asked.

"Very good, Ryuk. So, you noticed that was strange. Truthfully, I'm pretty happy about the FBI investigation."

"Is that why you were smiling so much when Eva told you last night? I thought you were just putting on a show of support so she wouldn't suspect you."

"Not at all. I really couldn't have planned it any better myself." Light replied with a smile. "See, you don't have a very good understanding of human beings yet. Remember what I told you about human beings being foolish, two-faced creatures? In human society, there are very few people who truly trust each other. That's true even within the police. When it comes to the police and L, they don't trust each other at all. Never have. Who'd trust someone who keeps his name and face hidden from you? Now that L knows I have access to task force information, he's going to look for me within the NPA, hence the FBI investigation. When the police find out the FBI is investigating them, they'll get really mad. On the face of it, L and the police are working together to catch me, but behind the scenes, L is investigating the police, and the police will be trying to track down L." Light stopped and pushed open the gate to his house. "I'm not going to find L, the police will take care of that for me, and then I'll eliminate him."

"Alright, so what's that board in your bag do?" Ryuk asked.

"I'm home!" Light announced before heading up to his room. He locked the door behind him and began fiddling with the drawer. "That was easier than I thought."

"What?" Ryuk urged impatiently.

"On the underside of this drawer there is a tiny hole you wouldn't notice unless you were looking for it." Light unscrewed a ball point pen and pulled out the ink cartridge. "You stick this ink cartridge into the hole." Light demonstrated the trick, shifting the false bottom up and out of the drawer. "There's a circuit surrounding the notebook. The cartridge is plastic, so it doesn't conduct electricity, and the false bottom has a rubber stopper that will also stop the current. If neither are there, say if someone forces the drawer open, the current will pass through the circuit, ignite the gasoline in the plastic back around the notebook, and send everything up in flames." Light leaned back in his chair and locked his hands behind his head, admiring his creation.

"Isn't that a bit risky?" Ryuk asked. "You could really hurt yourself. Light laughed at the god of death's feigned concern.

"What's better? Having a small fire in the house or getting the death penalty?"


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note:** Woo! Double post! Remember to review because I'm rusty as hell on writing.

* * *

 **Chapter 5**

* * *

"Light, you got a moment?" Ryuk whispered to the brunette.

"I told you, don't talk to me outside my room. People can't hear you, but they can hear me." Light growled under his breath as he made his way through the darkening streets.

"Then don't talk, just listen." Ryuk shot back. "I don't have anything against you, Light. In a way, I think you're the best person who could've picked up the notebook. But I'm neither on your side, nor L's side in this." _I already knew that, Ryuk. What the hell is he getting at?_ "So, I'm not going to tell you that what you're doing is right or wrong. I won't say a word about that. But I will speak up once in a while as your roommate."

"Spit it out." Light whispered as he turned a corner. The street lights flickered on as dusk began to settle.

"What I meant was, what I'm about to tell you isn't spoken as Kira's ally, it's just because it's bugging me personally. Since I'm always hovering behind you, I noticed right away, and it's really getting on my nerves." Light rolled his eyes as he turned onto his street. Ryuk's unrelenting bumbling was beginning to get on **his** nerves. "These last couple of days, this guy's been following you." Light's eyes widened for a moment and his heart rate quickened. He blinked hard, trying to regain his composure. "He doesn't see me, of course, but I feel like I'm being watched." _Two days…he shouldn't have been seeing anything other than an ordinary college-bound senior. That's all._ Ryuk laughed. "I guess it's a good thing you hid that notebook when you did. You're lucky to have Eva for this kind of information."

"I'm home!" Light announced before heading up to his room. He opened his door and checked for the usual signs of entry. The piece of paper lodged in his door was still there. The handle was still at the angle that he had left it. The pencil lead left on the upper hinge of his door was still unbroken. No one had opened his door. That was a relief. _I need to find out what my shadow's name is. If I can do that, it's all under control. So, what's the best way of getting his name without raising his suspicions?_

"Light, there are two big differences between gods of death and humans who have the Death Note." Ryuk interrupted Light's thoughts. Light flipped on the light switch and took a seat in his desk chair. Ryuk hovered over him.

"You're in a talkative mood…." Light groaned.

"Do you know why gods of death write people's names into these notebooks?"

"Of course not."

"It's because gods of death gain their lifespan from humans."

"Lifespans?" Light leaned forward, suddenly interested in the conversation.

"Let's say you have someone whose natural lifespan in the human world is sixty years." Ryuk began to explain "If a god of death writes their name at forty years old, that god of death extends their own lifespan by twenty years. So, unless they're really lazy, you can shoot a god of death through the head, stab them in the heart, or do anything, really, and a god of death won't die. I have seen them die before, though. If there's another way to kill them, I don't know of it. Not that it matters, being a god of death seems like a meaningless existence nowadays."

"Meaningless?" Light asked with an incredulous laugh. "When a god of death like you comes down to Earth, once every hundred years or so, you drastically change the landscape of the world. It's not meaningless at all, Ryuk."

"Aren't you the positive thinker?" Ryuk joked, but stopped for a moment to think about the claim. Maybe he was right.

"Of course, I am. If I weren't an optimist, I wouldn't have thought I could make the world a better place." Light admitted.

"Well, the difference is that if you write humans' names into the Death Note, you won't gain any extensions on your lifespan." Ryuk continued. "That's the first big difference. The other difference isn't about extending your lifespan, it's about shortening it. When gods of death look down on the human world to choose which humans we'll write into our notebooks, we don't have to play these same games. A god of death's eyes can see a human's name and lifespan over their head when we look at them." Light stared at his own reflection in Ryuk's eyes and felt a wave of uneasiness pass through his body. "There's a deal we can make with humans who pick up the notebooks. We can give you our eyes."

"A god of death's eyes…." Light thought about the sheer power and control something like that would give him. It would make everything so simple.

"The price of a god of death's eyes is half of your remaining lifespan." Light smirked, suddenly understanding Ryuk's speech from earlier.

"Since you're not on Kira's side or L's side, I suppose you won't just give me the names of people I want?"

"No, in fact, I'm not allowed to." Ryuk replied with a shrug.

"Ryuk, this deal of yours is out of the question. I'm creating a criminal-free utopia over which I plan to reign like a god for a long time. If your deal extended my lifespan, I'd take it, but if it's going to shorten it, there's nothing to think about."

"Yea, I figured." Ryuk replied, falling back onto Light's bed. "I just didn't want you to complain about me not telling you."

"I don't suppose there are any deals for wings?" Light asked jokingly.

"Wings?"

"If I could have wings instead of eyes, I might have seriously considered the deal. It's a dream human beings have had since antiquity—to fly through the skies…it's very godlike."

"Wouldn't that make it easier for the cops to catch you?" Ryuk asked, stone-faced.

"I'm just kidding, Ryuk. Besides, if I started cutting deals for eyes and wings, next thing you know, I'd be a real god of death myself." A dry chuckle left Ryuk's mouth.

"Don't worry, Light. Even without eyes or wings, you're already a fine god of death." Light frowned at the sentiment. He didn't want to be a god of death, he wanted to be a god of justice, a god of new life, a god of rebirth.

"I think I've figured out how to get rid of our shadow, Ryuk." Light grabbed a small potted plant from his desk and headed for the balcony.

"O?" Ryuk followed him. Light swung open the curtains and stepped out, catching a glimpse of his stalker before he ducked behind a building. _Good. He's still watching._ Light placed the plant on the balcony and stepped back inside, keeping the curtains open.

"First, I have to make it obvious that I'm oblivious to being watched."

"How are gonna do that?" Ryuk inquired, watching Light pull out his cell phone and send a text. A small knock on the back window pulled the god's attention away.

"Like you said, Ryuk: I'm lucky to have Eva." Light replied before opening his window and letting her in.

"Hey! What's going on?" Eva asked, setting her orange down on Light's desk. He observed it and raised an eyebrow at her.

"O, sorry, were you in the middle of eating?"

"Nah." Eva replied with a smile. She flopped down into his desk chair. "The smell just helps my nausea."

"Ah, well, I have something for you." Light made his way to his bag, turning his back to the balcony window.

"What is it?" Eva asked, moving to look over his shoulder as he rummaged through books. Light pulled out a box of strawberry pocky and Eva squealed with excitement, throwing her arms around his neck and hugging him tightly. "O my gosh, these are my FAVORITE! Thanks, Light!" Light laughed at her excited response and wrapped his arms around her. He kept his hands on the small of her back and pulled away just enough to rest his forehead on hers.

"Just make sure you eat them. I've been worried about you."

"Huh? How come?" Eva asked, suddenly concerned with his uncharacteristic affection.

"You look like you've been losing a lot of weight. You're probably all bone. Let me see." Light whispered back, slipping his fingers beneath her shirt and lifting it up. Eva gasped and grabbed his hands as they raised past her ribcage.

"Light, your window!" Eva motioned toward the open curtains that left his brightly lit room visible to the rest of the street.

"O, I'm sorry. I forgot." Light grabbed the curtains and peeked around the street, trying to hold back a smirk when he noticed his shadow again. "I don't think anyone saw." He closed the curtains and turned back to Eva. "Sorry, I got a little carried away. I just want to make sure you're taking care of yourself." Eva forced a smile and stepped closer to him.

"Are you sure you're feeling okay?" she asked, placing her hand on Light's forehead. He laughed and nodded.

"Yea, I'm sure."

"Lack of sleep?" she jokingly chastised him.

"Yea." He hugged her tightly and she returned the gesture. "I guess I should try and catch up tonight."

"That sounds like a good plan. Let me know if you need anything, and thank you for my pocky!" Eva grabbed the box and crawled back into her room. Light turned to see Ryuk giving him a quizzical look.

"What was that?" Ryuk asked.

"From where our stalker is standing, he can't see my back window, only my balcony window. I'm sure he'll observe the layout of the houses and draw the conclusion that Eva's window is right next to mine and we use it to sneak over to each other's rooms."

"So? What's the big deal about that?" Ryuk asked.

"So, he didn't see Eva leave, and is probably under the assumption that she's still here with me." Light sighed when Ryuk gave him another confused look. "I'm surprised, Ryuk. You were doing so well earlier. Don't you remember what I said? I need to make this guy think that I have no idea that I'm being watched. What better way to do that than to imply intimacy with a girl?" A spark suddenly appeared in Ryuk's eyes.

"O! Is that why you lifted up her shirt? To make that guy think there was something else going on?"

"That's right, and I only closed the curtains when Eva asked me to. What better way to suggest that I don't know I'm being watched than to engage in a little bit of scandal?" Light sat down at his desk and turned on the computer.

"Hm? I thought you were going to sleep? Isn't that what you told her?"

"Yea, but I have some tests to run." Light glanced at the clock. "And tomorrow, we're going on a date."

"With Eva?" Ryuk asked, picking up the orange that she had left behind on Light's desk and observing it.

"No. I would never put her in harm's way like that. We're going to find out who our stalker is tomorrow. Besides, if I take a different girl, my scandal will seem all the more credible." Light stopped scrolling through his list of criminals for a moment and turned to Ryuk. "How much time does she have?" The god of death met his eyes in a rare moment of sincerity. There was something almost human about Ryuk in that instance. There was no blank stare, no dry laugh, nothing that indicted normalcy in the mood. Ryuk didn't have to answer. That brief exchange told Light everything that he needed to know and it broke his heart. Ryuk turned his eyes back to the orange in his hand.

"Humans are so interesting. You say they don't trust each other, but you and Eva seem to trust each other. She trusted you enough to tell you about the investigation. You trusted her enough to use her in your plan."

"I didn't use her." Light suddenly cut in, taking issue with the phrasing. Ryuk laughed.

"Do you love her, Light?" There was another honest glance between them. "Maybe the better question is: do you think she could love a god of death like you?"

"Don't call me that." Light huffed, turning back to his project. The unsettling feeling crept up on him again as Ryuk's question echoed in his mind. _Would she hate me if she knew?_

* * *

Eva's eyes fluttered open when she felt herself being pulled into a tight and warm embrace. She turned her head and forced a groggy smile.

"Hey, what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be on a date?" she asked with sleepy eyes. Light laid his head on top of hers as he held her over the cocoon of blankets.

"It was a bust." he admitted. "We never even made it to the amusement park."

"I'm sorry." Eva said through a yawn, retreating deeper into her bed. "You'll find the right girl." Light smiled and kissed the top of her head.

"Your mom said you've been in bed most of the weekend. How are you feeling?"

"Like garbage." Eva mumbled, closing her eyes and drifting in and out of consciousness.

"Get some sleep, then. I'll be right here." Light assured her.

"Thanks, Light."


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note:** Alright, I'm finally moving in the story a little. I'm trying to stay away from tedious Death Note related stuff and stick with building character relationships and interactions, but it kinda feels like it's moving too fast. Do you guys feel like it's too rushed?

Thanks to UmiNight Angel Neko for the review! I really appreciate it, and I'm super glad you like Eva. I'm pretty fond of her myself. I think of all the OC's I've written, she's my favorite. I've yet to rage at her, but we'll see how long that lasts. ;)

* * *

 **Chapter 6**

* * *

 _January 1, 2004_

 _Heroes are better left between the pages of a book where they can carry out their altruistic sense of justice._

 _When we remove them from their fictional homes and try to bring them into the real world, we find that they are flawed, childish, cheating, dishonest human beings who just hate to lose._

 _It's the same for me, too. It's been misconstrued as a fight for justice. It's not justice at all. I only take cases that pique my interest because figuring out difficult cases is my hobby. And if it means being able to clear a case, you'll find me knee deep in dishonesty, deception, and crime._

 _Because I hate to lose._

 _– L_

* * *

"Please mom! Pretty please!" Eva begged, following her mother through the kitchen.

"Absolutely not, Eva! That's so far beyond the line that I can't even see it." Liliana responded with a stern look.

"But you've made exceptions to rules for me before!" Eva reasoned.

"For reports that have gone through a confidentiality check, not for a conference call on an ongoing mass homicide investigation! I'm sorry, the answer is no, and that's final!"

"What's all the ruckus about?" Ben asked, entering the living room and heading straight for the coffee pot.

"Mom has a call with Steve and L and she won't let me listen to it!" Eva complained like a tattling toddler.

"Ah, you shouldn't have told her." Ben smirked at Liliana. "That kind of seems like your own fault."

"Gee, thanks, Ben." Liliana pinched his arm before taking the coffee cup out of his hands.

"Hey…that's mine."

"Consider it payment. Now will you please reason with your daughter?"

"Can I play the cancer card for this one?" Eva suddenly cut in. Her parents exchanged a serious look, as if they were truly considering her the practical application of her off-hand comment.

"Shit." Lilianna finally said. "I will fill you in on the call after I have it, how about that?"

"Okay…." Eva agreed begrudgingly. It was better than nothing. Her mother gave her a smile and quickly made her way back down the hallway to her office.

* * *

Time dragged on forever as Eva flipped through the TV channels. The call had lasted over two hours now. They had to be finishing soon. Eva groaned and laid across the couch, shifting positions every five minutes or so in childish impatience. She jumped up to her knees when she heard the distant sound of her mother's office door.

"Mom! Are you done?" she called out.

"Yea, yea." Liliana responded, coming down the hallway. "Ben, can you join us in the living room?"

"That must have been one hell of a call." Ben replied, stepping out of his own office and taking a seat on the couch next to Eva. Lilianna sat on the coffee table across from them and sighed.

"Yea, it certainly was interesting. So, there are a couple of things that I need to share with you two. One, the FBI is choosing to step out of the Kira investigation."

"What? How come?" Eva chimed in.

"The FBI had sent several agents to Japan to investigate leads on the Kira case. All of them ended up dead." _Dead?_ Eva suddenly bit her lip in guilt. She had told Light about the investigation. Had he told someone else? Was this her fault? She wasn't even supposed to know about it.

"How did they—" Eva swallowed the lump forming in her throat, unable to finish her sentence.

"The running theory is Kira. It matches the M.O. perfectly. That being said, L is facing a lot of pressure from the Japanese police and international agencies. He asked me to be his legal counsel and I accepted."

"Liliana! Without even talking it through with me?" Ben cut in this time. "This isn't just a normal investigation. There's a real possibility of you being killed."

"O, please. There was a real possibility of me being killed every time I locked up someone in Los Angeles. It never stopped me before, and you should know that." Liliana quickly shot back. "Besides, I just wanted you two to know because this time, I'm going to have to work with L in person. I have a meeting with him in three days."

"Wow…you get to meet L. Will you get his autograph for me?" Eva asked with stars in her eyes, suddenly forgetting the pit in her stomach from the previously morbid news.

"I will definitely ask him." Liliana replied with a laugh.

"No one is bothered by the fact that this Kira person is targeting law enforcement?" Ben asked. "Am I just crazy?"

"Of course, we're bothered, dad." Eva said. "But mom has the opportunity to do something really amazing. I'm proud of you, mom! With people like you and L working on this case, I know Kira won't get away with this."

* * *

 _I'm proud of you, mom!_ Liliana was unable to hold back her smile as her daughter's words resounded in her head. It helped soothe the nervousness she was currently feeling standing in the lobby of this massive hotel. A call came through on her cell phone and she answered it.

"Hello?"

"Please proceed to the forty-seventh floor." a scrambled voice not belonging to L told her. The line ended and she followed the directions without hesitation. She stared at her own reflection in the metal of the elevator doors. She smoothed out any stray hairs and tightened the belt of her trench coat. Her heart fluttered for a moment. She wasn't quite sure what she was stepping into, and despite having worked with L before, meeting him felt like a whole new level of danger. _Maybe this wasn't a good idea. Ben was probably right._ The elevator doors opened on the thirty-ninth floor and an old man with a cane stood in front of her. Liliana gave him a passing smile before stepping to the side to let him on.

"Please follow me." the man said to her. The pieces suddenly fell together. She had been asked to go to a different floor and intercepted on this one as a security measure. It seemed a little overly paranoid, but perhaps that's how L had managed to stay hidden for so long. Liliana nodded and stepped out of the elevator, following the man as he made his way through the suites of the hotel. He unlocked the door of a fairly secluded presidential suite and held it open for her.

"It's a pleasure to meet you in person, Mrs. Reyes." Liliana turned to the source of the voice. "I'm L." She held in a giggle that tried to bubble up in her throat. _I was right._

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you as well, L." Liliana responded as she observed this scrawny, hunched-over man. He was young, in his mid to late twenties at most, but the stress of his job had clearly taken a physical toll on him. L's black hair was a shaggy mess. Dark bags lay under his seemingly permanently sleepy eyes. She couldn't tell if his posture was due to preference or severe scoliosis. There was barley any weight on this poor creature. L tugged the sleeves of his plain white shirt over his fingers and shoved his hands into the pockets of plain blue jeans, clearly uncomfortable with how this lawyer was eyeing him.

"If you don't mind, I'll need you to remove your coat and place all electronic devices, turned off, in the other room." L mumbled, avoiding direct eye contact with her.

"Of course." Liliana removed her coat, suddenly realizing how overdressed she was compared to L. She had never worn a suit under two thousand dollars, and this man, who eclipsed her net worth by several orders of magnitude, was comfortable attending their meeting in clothes that looked heavily worn. It was charming to some extent, like he was far too preoccupied with the real problems in the world to worry about his own appearance. Liliana couldn't relate. As a former prosecutor, she knew exactly how important appearances were. Hell, half the time they decided the cases. She recalled asking victims of domestic violence or rape to not cover their wounds so that they would serve as a message to the jury and help lock up her perps. She recalled telling her star witnesses to wear muted colors. They elicited feelings of conservativism which made juries more likely to trust their word. _I guess I'll have to work on L, too._

"You also won't be able to write down anything discussed in this room. Please commit it to memory."

"No problem." Liliana responded with a smile.

"I appreciate you taking the contract. I really appreciated your grandiose style of prosecution during the Los Angeles BB Murder trials. It's not easy to find a lawyer who can sway public opinion as easily as you can." L said, shuffling over to a chair and taking an awkward, crouching/sitting position. Liliana took a seat on a couch across from him.

"Well, I certainly appreciate the compliment, and as your official legal counsel, I have to advise against this meeting."

"Our meeting?" L clarified.

"To some extent…I suppose, yes, ours. But I'm specifically referring to the NPA. You still have time to turn them away. If we believe Kira is related to someone in the NPA, exposing your face just gives one more crucial piece of information needed for your downfall." Liliana clarified. L glanced up at her for a moment and let out a sigh.

"I don't believe I have a choice in this. It is very possible that I could be asked to make a public appearance or statement regarding the case, especially after the death of the FBI agents. I need to regain the trust of the NPA as fast as possible."

"So, this is a calculated risk?"

"Yes, I suppose it is. Knowing this, are you still willing to represent me in public matters?" L paused for a moment. "You have a family, don't you?"

"Yes, a husband and a daughter." A small laugh left Liliana's lips. "My daughter is actually quite fond of you. You're her hero. She asked me to get your autograph for her. She wants to go to law school and become a prosecutor. She said she wants to fight for justice…just like you."

"That's very flattering, but I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint her." L said. He stood and walked to a dresser, opening a drawer and fishing out a leather-bound notebook. "I don't do this for justice. I just enjoy it." L flipped open the notebook and scribbled for a while. "Nonetheless, an autograph is the least I can do. Even if it's an honest one." L held out the notebook for Liliana and she smiled.

"Thanks, I appreciate it. I know Eva will, too." A knock on the door interrupted them.

"Chief Yagami will be with this group." L mumbled.

"You're sure you want to do this? You know what my position is." Liliana asked once again.

"Please, come in." L said loudly, answering her question in the process.

* * *

"Eva, wake up." a soft voice cooed in her ear. Eva's eyes fluttered open and she smiled at her mother's loving face. Liliana caressed her daughter's cheek and planted a kiss on her forehead. "Happy seventeenth birthday, love."

"Thanks, mom." Eva sat up and yawned. Her mother stood from her crouching position next to the bed and kept her hands behind her back.

"Guess what I have for you?"

"What?" Eva asked, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Liliana handed Eva the leather-bound notebook and Eva gasped. "Wow! It's beautiful! Thank you!"

"You haven't even seen the best part. Open it." Eva quickly flipped it open to the first page and let her eyes wander across the first journal entry. She grinned from ear to ear and hugged the book to her chest. "Well, what did L write?" Liliana pushed.

"Just reaffirmed what a hero he is." Eva said with a smile. "Even if that wasn't his intention."

"Well, I'm glad you like it. What do you want to do for your birthday?"

"I made plans with Light, but afterwards, a dinner would be nice."

"You got it." Liliana kissed Eva's forehead again. "Have fun with Light. Make sure to text me."

* * *

Ryuk chuckled at the stuffed animals that Light perused through in the store.

"Doesn't it feel strange to you? Transitioning from sending a woman to her suicide to picking out a birthday gift for Eva?" the god of death inquired. Light ignored him. It wasn't strange at all. In fact, the only unsettling thing about it was how NOT unsettled Light was. He was able to transition between his two lives so smoothly. It was like he was made for this. He picked up a stuffed shark and smiled. This was the one. Eva loved sharks. She watched documentaries about them all the time. He purchased the toy and placed it a bag with packed lunches that he had made. Light headed to the park and smiled when he saw Eva standing at the gate. She waved at him and he hurried over to her.

"Happy Birthday!" he said excitedly, giving her a hug.

"Thanks! Now let's get this hike over with. It's freezing out here!" Eva said with a small laugh, pulling her knitted beanie down further on her head and tightening her scarf.

"We don't have to do this hike if it's too cold."

"No, no, I really want to." Eva reassured him, taking his arm and pulling him to the trail. They had heard about the peak that overlooked the city and how beautiful it was, but never had the time or motivation to check it out. Eva had finally decided she would do it on her birthday, and Light was happy to tag along. They only made it halfway up the trail before Eva's fatigue began to get the best of her, and Light was also happy to give her a piggy back ride up the rest of the way. They sat at a picnic table at the top of the trail, awestruck by the view. The early winter evening sky cast a beautiful orange glow on everything. The city lights glimmered below them, and as they sat in silence eating their late lunches, Light noticed the tears rolling down Eva's smiling face.

"Hey, what's wrong?" he asked, moving closer to her. She shook her head and laughed, wiping her tears away with her mittens.

"Nothing, nothing, it's perfect." she assured. A small moment of silence occurred as Light tried to figure out what was happening. "I'm just going to miss it is all."

"Miss what?"

"The smell of the snow. Views like this. I wish I would have enjoyed them more."

"What are you talking about?" Eva turned to meet Light's gaze and quickly looked away before she spoke up again.

"I…I didn't tell you before. I didn't want you to…I guess I just didn't want you to worry. You always worry so much. I didn't want to do that to you."

"Worry about what?" Light's heart felt heavy.

"The reason the treatments haven't been working that well isn't just because they haven't found the right regimen…it's because my cancer is stage 4. There's no treatment that's going to work as more than a temporary stop gap measure. Basically, my chance of surviving more than 10 years, based on the cell growth, is very low." Light's eyes immediately shot to Ryuk, who stood in front of Eva, watching her carefully. He tried to find any hint in the god's of death's eyes, anything that could tell him how long Eva had. When no such hint was given, he wrapped the small girl up in his arms and tried to quell the tears pushing to the surface. There wasn't a need for any words between them. Light just wanted to hold her while he still had the chance.

* * *

The world felt unreal after Light dropped Eva off at her house. His focus was fuzzy at best. He lacked motivation. He wasn't sure when he made it up to his room, but he was glad to be able to sit on his bed, even if it was just to stare at his wall and digest what had just happened.

"Light…." Ryuk spoke up. Light didn't respond. "When her time comes, I can make her death painless. That's all I can do for her." The offer enraged him.

"Shut up!" Light yelled, grabbing the closest item to him and throwing it at Ryuk as hard as he could. Ryuk unflinchingly watched the miniature English to Japanese dictionary pass right through his body. "Unless you have a way to save her life, I don't want to hear her name come from your mouth! Do you understand me!?"

"Yea." the god replied. Light gripped his head tightly, trying to force away the migraine that was creeping up on him. _What's happening? It's not fair._


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note:** Alright, we're moving into the story and timeline. I will add: I'm keeping most of the canon, just adding little adjustments here and there to make it flow better.

Thanks to UmiNight Angel Neko and Guest for your reviews! I like how you guys are reading my mind because I totally had this chapter written before either of your reviews. That makes me feel great. I'm glad we're this in sync. You're amazing. I look forward to hearing everyone's thoughts!

* * *

 **Chapter 7**

* * *

 _January 8, 2004_

 _It's so nice to have a journal on days like this. Sometimes it's so lonely here, and I don't know how to handle it. I love opening these leather covers and seeing L's entry. I love being able to write out my every thought and feeling without fear of discovery._

 _I don't care what he says, by the way. I never once doubted he was a flawed human being who could lie, cheat, and steal. He's still my hero. He's still everything that I want to be. If I can accomplish a tenth—even a hundredth—of what he has, I can leave behind some real, tangible good in this world. I wouldn't see myself as a hero, either. But maybe someone else would. Maybe it would inspire them to do the same. Maybe that's all it takes._

 _Maybe._

* * *

 _Maybe it's still not enough._ Light closed his textbook, tossed out the bag of potato chips containing his miniature TV, and walked over to his bed. He dug around in the brown paper bag sitting near his pillow and pulled out the porn magazine he had bought on his way home. _Maybe L will see right through this and assume I know about the cameras and the bugs in my room._ He flopped down on his bed and flipped the book open, pretending to carefully examine each page. _Maybe I need to seal the deal with something more vulnerable._ Light closed the book and laughed.

"Man, these covers mislead you all the time." he mumbled to himself, loud enough for the bugs to pick up. _Given the situation, it's safer if I just assume that I'm the prime suspect and the only one being watched._ He slid the magazine behind an encyclopedia on his bookshelf. _I have to make it look real._ He pulled out his phone and sent a text to Eva. He waited for her response and guilt suddenly crept up on him. Was this wrong? Was he using her? The knock on his window interrupted his thoughts and he stood to let her into his room. He quickly forgot his guilt when he saw her. All he felt was love.

"Alright, so what's the big emergency at eleven-thirty-four at night, Yagami?" Eva chastised. "Some of us need our solid 16 hours of sleep per day." Light smiled at her stupid joke as he watched her make her way across his room and straight to his bed. He grabbed a notebook and a pencil.

"I need you to make a bucket list, and I'm going to help you do all of those things." It was an honest admission. The cameras may have been rolling, but Light definitely wasn't acting. Eva stared back at him with wide eyes. She parted her lips for a moment and tilted her head at him, as if his words would suddenly make sense to her if she saw him from a different angle.

"What?" she finally asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm serious." She laughed at him. "Really, I am." Light defended.

"I think you should be more worried about finding a girlfriend than all of the things that I want to do." Eva said dismissively.

"I'm not worried about that." Light replied.

"Really? It's been quite a while since you've been on a date." Eva hummed at him. Her smile widened when she noticed his face twitch with discomfort.

"Quite a while is still better than never." Light retorted. Eva blushed.

"That's hardly a fair comparison."

"Then what's been holding you back from dating?" he challenged.

"My tumor gets a little jealous and overprotective." Eva joked. "I don't know, you're always at school or out somewhere where you can meet new people. I've just been stuck at home. The only guy taking me out is my dad."

"Go out with me." Light suddenly offered. It was a bold move, one that was met with an incredulous laugh from Eva.

"Keep your pity, Make-A-Wish Foundation date away from me."

"Make-A-Wish Foundation?" Light asked.

"It's an American organization that makes dreams come true for kids with terminal illnesses." Eva explained. Light thought for a moment, furrowing his brow and tapping his chin with his index finger.

"So…you're saying a date with me would be a dream come true?" he teased.

"Wow!" Eva exclaimed. "I don't think this room is big enough for the three of us!" Light suddenly froze and glanced at Ryuk. The god of death exchanged a nervous look with him.

"The three of us?" Light asked.

"Me, you, and your ego." Eva clarified. Ryuk laughed, amused by her jab. Light laughed with relief.

"Alright, wait here." He quickly left the room, rushed down the stairs, and plucked a pink rose from the vase in the hallway. Light took the stairs two at a time to return to his room and locked the door behind him. He dropped to his knees in front of Eva, who watched him carefully from his bed. He held out the rose for her. "Eva Reyes, you would make me the happiest man in the world if you would be so kind as to allow me to go on a date with you, the most intelligent, passionate, and beautiful woman that I have ever met." He watched her stunned face carefully and smiled when he saw a blush creep across her cheeks. "C'mon. I'm a pretty nice guy once you get to know me." Eva laughed at his joke and nodded, taking the flower.

"You don't have to do this for me, Light."

"I know, I'm not doing it for you."

"Then why?"

"I already told you why. I meant it." Light smiled and sat next to her, wrapping his arm around her. She leaned her head against his shoulder and gently ran her fingers across the smooth, pink petals of the rose.

"Yes, I will grace you with my presence on a date." Eva finally spoke up after a moment of silence. This time Light scoffed at her ego.

"You're so merciful."

"I know. I'm such a people pleaser. When do you want to go on this date?"

"How about the day after our entrance exam for To-Oh?" Light suggested.

"That sounds perfect. I might cry the entire time because I might still be heartbroken over my poor performance on the exam, but other than that it should be fun." Eva smiled up at Light.

"I'll do my best to comfort you." There was a small pause in the conversation and Light smirked. "I mean, I can't say it'll be successful because I have no idea what it's like to not be the best at literally everything all the time, but I'll try to lower myself down to your status and empathize."

"Dick." Eva said through fits of giggles.

"Why don't you just sleep in here tonight?" he finally suggested.

"Yea, I really don't want to crawl through that window again. It's too cold out there." Eva agreed. As if on cue, she yawned.

* * *

L watched Eva crawl in between Light's bedsheets and doze off. He caught a small smile on Soichiro Yagami's face out of the corner of his eye. When the chief noticed him staring, he made no effort to hide his emotions as he usually did.

"I don't approve." Soichiro clarified through what he perceived to be the judgmental silence. "Of him sneaking Eva into his room, I mean." he quickly added, catching Liliana's gaze. "I don't approve of a lot of what we've seen tonight. Light's secretive behavior, his porn collection, it's all a bit worrisome." The smile crept back onto his lips. "But where it really counts…how he treats Eva...well, I'm happy he's becoming the man that he is." L turned his eyes to Liliana when she let out a small chuckle.

"I had a feeling they were sneaking into each other's rooms. But it never worried me because it was Light." The two parents exchanged a comforting smile. "I've always wanted Eva to find the same love that I have with her father. Light definitely fits the bill." Liliana paused for a moment to think and then shrugged. "Minus the Kira investigation, of course." L returned to the monitor to observe the sleeping girl once again. She looked so peaceful. There was something so innocent and pure about her.

"I wasn't aware of her diagnosis." L suddenly spoke up, running his thumb across his chapped, bottom lip. "What's the prognosis?"

"Stage 4 cancer with minimal treatment efficacy. Less than five percent of patients in comparable conditions survive past approximately 10 years." Liliana replied. She bit her bottom lip as she watched her daughter through the surveillance cameras. She had said the words to family and friends at least a hundred time. They were second nature now, but they hurt no less. In fact, every repetition renewed and drilled the panic and anxiety down deeper into her.

"That's unfortunate." L mumbled, never taking his eyes off the girl.

* * *

 _January 17, 2004_

 _I made a friend! At least I think I did. It was the most exhilarating thing! I've been at home for so long, out of school for so long, I had almost forgotten how fun it is to meet new people! To just sit down next to a stranger and talk to them. To find out common interests. I really missed it._

 _I wish I would have caught his name. It was so loud in the room after the test was over. I asked him, but I didn't hear his response, and Light was in_ _ **such**_ _a rush to leave. I've never known that boy to rush anything. He's always so calm and collected. I wonder what was up with him._

 _I'll have to find my new friend if we both get into To-Oh. It shouldn't be too hard._

 _Student 162 was **very** unique._

* * *

"Are you sure you want to go? You know you could just wait another year before going to college." Ben tried to reason with his daughter. Eva huffed at him.

"Dad!"

"Lots of kids take gap years!" he argued.

"Not in Japan!" Eva argued back as she packed her bag and wrapped a scarf snuggly around herself. "Besides, I'm already registered for this entrance exam, Light is already downstairs, and I already spent hours upon hours upon hours studying for it." She stopped her routine for a moment, checking to make sure she had everything that she needed. When all items were accounted for, she pulled on her jacket and turned to her dad, flashing him a reassuring smile. "I'll be fine. I promise." Ben nodded begrudgingly and escorted her down the stairs.

"Hi Mr. Reyes." Light greeted politely.

"Hey Light. Make sure you keep an eye on Eva. Her fatigue and nausea have been especially bad this week. She's been getting dizzy a lot, too. I don't want her falling or fainting." Ben was all business.

"Daaad!" Eva whined at her father's oversharing of her every symptom.

"I'll escort her every step of the way." Light assured him, holding out his arm for Eva to grab.

"Be safe and good luck!" Liliana said with a smile, planting a kiss on Eva's forehead and giving Light a quick hug. "We'll all go out to dinner to celebrate once you guys come back."

"Sounds good! Thanks mom!"

"Thanks, Mrs. Reyes." Eva quickly pulled Light out of her house before her parents could change their mind about letting her go to the exam. "Have your symptoms really been that bad?" Light asked.

"A little. They have me on new medicine that causes some muscle weakness, so sometimes it's really hard to walk. It's pretty rare though." Eva admitted. She hated disclosing the details of her ailment to Light. He always worried about them. She knew it kept him up at night. She would often get emails from him at two or three in the morning about certain exercises or home remedies she could try for her nausea. It was sweet that he cared so much, but Eva worried about him, too. And between the two of them worrying about each other worrying about each other, the stress would kill them before cancer or sleep deprivation could. "Are you nervous?" Eva finally asked when they were situated on the train.

"About what?"

"What do you think? The test!" she said with a laugh. It was like he was off in his own little world. "What other big stuff is going on in your life?" Light laughed at her question.

"No, I'm not nervous."

"I am. I'm a wreck. I kept having this nightmare last night that I fell asleep and slept through the whole test and failed! It was terrible."

"I'm sure you'll do great." Light smiled and wrapped an arm around her. She gratefully retreated into his warmth for the remainder of the train ride and tried to settle her nerves.

* * *

"R's…R's…where are the R's…?" Eva hummed to herself as she glanced around the room. It was buzzing with motion. Students scrambled to put away their bags and take their seats.

"Right here." Light said, guiding her over to a row of seats. He frowned when he noticed where her seat was. She was practically on the other side of the room from him. Even worse, she was behind him, so he wouldn't be able to keep an eye on her. Even worse **still** , she didn't have an aisle seat to easily make it to the bathroom. The final straw was the guy who **did** have the aisle seat looked like a total freak. Light turned up his nose at the student. _Who dresses like that for an entrance exam?_ Light's eyes traced over the guy's worn out, old tennis shoes. The backs of which were flattened, as if he never untied the laces, but simply forced his feet in. The shoes were firmly planted on the ground beneath him. The student's feet were not in them. Light's lip turned up in disgust. The student was sitting in this chair with his knees up to his face, and his bare feet on the chair. _He's not even wearing socks…._ If the heavily worn blue jeans and plain, white long sleeve t-shirt weren't enough of an indicator, Light could tell this student didn't care about appearances whatsoever from his shaggy, unkempt black hair, the dark bags under his eyes, and the sharp slouch of his posture. He really didn't feel comfortable with Eva sitting next to this guy. "Hey." Light finally called out, approaching the freak. The freak looked up at him with those large, panda-esque eyes. "She's assigned to the seat next to you, but she'll have to get up a few times during the exam. She gets really nauseous." Light motioned at Eva, who seemed to be just as intrigued by the freak's appearance. The freak stared at Light for a moment, then turned to Eva and addressed her directly. That bothered Light greatly.

"Would you like to trade seats with me? I don't need to get up during the exam." the freak said in a low, monotone voice.

"Really? That would be wonderful!" Eva replied excitedly. Light glared at him. "Thank you so much!" Eva said as he scooted down one chair.

"Here, give me your doctor's note and your bag. I'll take these up to the proctor for you." Light said to Eva, deciding to ignore the freak that was now getting on his nerves.

"Thanks, Light!" Eva smiled at him.

"Nausea? Are you that nervous?" Light heard the freak ask Eva as he turned to walk away.

"Yep. Its physician certified that I'm a wreck about this exam." he heard Eva joke with a laugh. There were a few more lines of conversation between them, and if the proctor hadn't asked for silence a few moments later, Light would have dwelled on them a lot more, slowly building up a jealous rage in the pit of his stomach. As petty as it was, Light thoroughly enjoyed it when the proctor's eyes shot up and a scowl appeared on his face.

"Student 162! Sit properly!" Light glanced over his shoulder and smirked at the sight of the freak awkwardly readjusting himself in the midst of a verbal beating. Yes, it was petty, but he could afford to be a little petty once in a while.


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note:** So glad this is finally in the interesting phase of the story. I actually find the character and plot building stuff super tedious and boring, but it's arguably the most important part of a story, right? Well, all of that stuff is done! Now it's plot, plot, plot! Huzzah!

Thanks to Puja261, UmiNight Angel Neko, and Guest for your reviews! Am I right in assuming that there's officially TeamLight and TeamL forming? I literally can't wait until we get a little deeper into the plot line to see what you guys think of the direction.

* * *

 **Chapter 8**

* * *

 _January 18, 2004_

 _I had my first kiss! It was a little weird. I expected to remember it in great detail…but I actually don't remember a whole lot about it, even just an hour later. I hope it wasn't weird for him._

 _The whole thing makes me really nervous. I can't quite pinpoint why, though. It's like there's this anxiety building in my stomach, behind a curtain. But I can't draw it back and check what's causing it_

 _I wish everything in life was as easy as medicine. I wish everything had a direct diagnosis._

* * *

"Wow." Eva whispered as the credits of the movie began to roll and the theatre lights came on.

"Yea." Light agreed.

"What a travesty." Eva added.

"A literal crime against art."

"Kira should really get on this." Eva said with a laugh. Light couldn't hold back his smile.

"Ready to go?"

"Yea." Eva stood and grabbed Light's arm, stumbling a bit and drawing a concerned look from him as he moved both hands to steady her.

"You okay?"

"Yea, my legs were just asleep." Eva lied. It was the muscle weakness worsening, but she didn't want to tell Light that. They were having such a wonderful date. It had been so light-hearted and fun. She feared that any mention of her disease would ruin it.

"Okay…." Light replied incredulously as they made their way out of the crowded theatre.

"What terrible writing!" Eva added in the awkward silence that had grown between them on the walk home. "I mean, one minute, he's so weak that he can't fight off two guys who are kidnapping his wife, but in the next scene, what—two days from the initial kidnapping, he's taking on seventeen highly trained foreign spies without breaking a sweat? Give me a break!"

"Consistency has never been the action genre's forte." Light agreed.

"Next time, I'm picking the movie. We're gonna watch a horror."

"Really? Horror?" Light asked with a smug smirk.

"Yea, why not?"

"Because every time you see a black cat you have an emotional meltdown."

"It's hardly a meltdown." Eva defended.

"You cried, Eva."

"I wasn't crying!" Light stopped in his tracks and brought his hands up to his eyes, feigning tears. He pushed his bottom lip up into a dramatic frown and raised his brow in distress.

"L-Light—it was s-so cute, but it's b-bad luck to cross p-paths with a-a black cat, but w-what if h-he doesn't have a h-h-home?" Light mocked in a high pitched, stuttering voice, mimicking Eva's hiccupped sobbing. She wanted to be upset, but couldn't stop herself from laughing.

"I don't sound like that!"

"Hey, there's your chance to prove me wrong. Look, a black cat." Light motioned his head forward and the color in Eva's face drained before she whipped her head around to see where he was looking. Light laughed as she was greeted by an empty street with no black cats.

"Dick!" Eva yelled, slapping his arm playfully. "That's not funny." Light hooked arms with her again and continued to lead the way back home. When they finally made their way to Eva's doorstep, she turned and gave him a hug. "Thank you."

"For what?" Light asked, not ready to leave her embrace yet. She pulled away just slightly to look him in the eyes and smiled.

"For taking me out on my first date." Eva wasn't sure when he closed his eyes and leaned in, or for that matter, when she closed hers, but she enjoyed the sudden feeling of his lips on hers. She wasn't quite sure what to do, so she just stood there in Light's arms. Though the kiss must have lasted a while, it felt like a fraction of a second. Suddenly, she was standing there again with Light smiling down at her, and only a gentle tingling lingered on her bottom lip as a reminder of their shared affection. The door opened and Liliana stood there, smiling at the two teenagers.

"Are you two planning on freezing to death out here, or do you want to come in?" she offered, smirking at her daughter. Light quickly removed his hands from Eva's waist and blushed.

"Actually, I have to get going. Thank you for the offer, Mrs. Reyes." He glanced at Eva and smiled. "I'll see you later."

"Thanks, Light." Eva smiled back before heading into the house. Once the door was shut, Eva removed her coat and sighed. "So, how long were you spying?"

"Long enough." Liliana replied, grinning ear to ear. "I can't believe how quickly my baby's growing up!" she cooed.

"Mom!" Eva tried to resist the hug that was coming at her, but quickly gave into it with a giggle. She laid her head on her mother's shoulder and thought for a moment before speaking up. "Mom?"

"Yea?" Liliana pulled away and looked down at her daughter.

"How did you know you were in love with dad?" Liliana bit her lip and smiled.

"I knew because of the way he made me feel. Every time I was around him, no matter how long we had been dating, I got these nervous butterflies in my stomach. I wanted so much for him to think I was smart, beautiful, passionate, and going to make a real splash in the world. I was always excited to see him. I'd count the minutes."

"O…okay." Eva looked down at her hands nervously.

"Is that how you feel?" Liliana asked, pushing up Eva's chin gently to look her in the eyes.

"I don't know…." Eva looked away, feeling a bit ashamed of her noncommittal status. She knew how much her mom loved Light. She loved Light, too. "It's really hard to tell what I'm feeling." She thought for a moment and laughed. "I can honestly only remember feeling that way when I heard L's broadcast for the first time. Or when you gave me that journal."

"I think that's just you being star struck. You have to actually meet the person you're going to fall in love with." Liliana replied with a smile. "Give it some time, you have a lot going on right now, and a lot on your mind."

"Yea, okay." Eva began to make her way up to her room.

"Eva!" Liliana called after her daughter. She turned and faced her. "If you don't feel that way, even after giving it the time that it deserves, that's okay." They exchanged a smile and Eva nodded. When she returned to the safety of her room, she picked up her journal and ran her fingers across the leather, smiling down at it. She flipped the covers open and read L's entry for the millionth time. There were the butterflies, the excitement, the anticipation. She would give anything to meet him. She hugged the journal to her chest and fell back into her bed, taking deep breaths to calm her racing heart.

* * *

 _April 5, 2004_

 _I found my friend from the entrance exam! He's really amazing. I can't wait to find out more about him!_

 _I wish appearances weren't so important to people. I heard people talking about him behind me during the commencement ceremony. It really bothered me._

 _I wish people were just a little more thoughtful._

* * *

Eva frowned at her appearance in the mirror. She didn't look correct in a blazer. She was too small, and it looked like she was drowning in fabric. She pulled off the blazer and tossed it on her bed, regaining a bit of her confidence in just the maroon pencil dress. She glanced at the email still open on her desktop.

"Blazers required…." she read out loud begrudgingly. "Gah!" Eva stopped her feet, making an exceptionally loud sound in the black heels. She grabbed the blazer and shoved her arms through it with all the grace and poise of a three-year old being forced to dress for school. She whined and groaned as she pulled her hair up into a loose bun and fixed her makeup. She slumped downstairs with a frown to a very dapper Light Yagami.

"What's wrong with you?" he asked.

"I hate dress codes." Eva replied in a childish way, tugging at her blazer.

"You look nice." Light assured her.

"Pft!" Eva stuck out her tongue and exhaled.

"Very becoming of a lawyer." Light chastised.

"Let's just get this god forsaken day over with so I can return to normal people clothes." Eva groaned. Her eyes suddenly widened and she gasped. "O my god, I'm sorry, Light. I'm really excited to hear your speech. I don't want to get that part over with. Just everything else." Light laughed at her sudden self-correction and nodded.

"No worries. Let's go."

* * *

Eva dropped her purse down on the closest seat to the stage…which was still several rows back.

"The early bird gets the worm, I guess." she said with a frown. "I hope I can see you from here."

"It's no big deal." Light assured her.

"No big deal!?" Eva turned to him and straightened out his jacket and tie. "You got a perfect score. You're one-hundredth percentile. Don't tell me, on my lowly position as ninety-first percentile, that it's not a big deal."

"Okay, I have to head up." Light said through a laugh. She gave him a hug.

"Alright, good luck!" She turned to take her seat, but quickly whipped back around and grabbed his sleeve. "Hey, do you know who the other student with a perfect score is?"

"No idea." Light responded with a shrug before heading to the front row. Eva took her seat and strained her neck upward. She couldn't see where Light was, or see the stairs approaching the stage, but at least she had a clear view of the podium. _God, it's like they found the tallest people in Japan to fill up the front rows._ The ceremony began and after what seemed like hours of obligatory context about the university, the freshmen address was announced.

"Freshmen representatives Light Yagami and Hideki Ryuga, please approach the stage." the chancellor called.

"Is that Hideki Ryuga the pop idol?" a student sitting behind Eva asked.

"That guy? There's no way he's got the brains to get into a school like To-Oh." another student responded.

"Yea, you're right. He doesn't look anything like the real Hideki Ryuga!" the first mentioned. Eva strained to catch a glimpse of the student. It was no use. She would just have to wait until they were at the podium. Eva's parted lips quickly grew into a huge smile across her face as she noticed Light and the second student approach. _Student 162!_ She watched him stand over the podium with a very slouched posture. He pulled on the sleeves of his white shirt and shoved his hands into his jean pockets. It was an odd juxtaposition. There stood Light, the epitome of establishment culture. He was groomed, clean, and perfectly following the rules of the university. Then there was Hideki. Eva bit her lip in an effort to stop smiling, but to no avail. She pulled off her blazer and threw it onto the back of her chair. It felt powerful. _Hideki Ryuga, national hero._ The speech began and Eva strained to hear it. The students behind her hadn't stopped chattering for even one second. She frowned. Light's speech came and went, and she barely heard a word of it. The students then began to make snarky comments about Hideki's appearance as his speech was announced.

"Do you mind!" Eva finally turned and hissed at the boys. They gave her a surprised look. "I'm trying to hear the speech. Please be quiet." She turned back to the front and smiled as Hideki began his speech in the same monotone voice in which he had talked to her. It was charming…in a weird sort of way. A girl behind her commented on how cute he was, and though another girl chastised her for it, Eva secretly agreed. Once the ceremony ended, Eva hung her blazer over her arm and grabbed her purse. Light slowly made his way over to her and she frowned. "I'm sorry, Light…I barely heard any of your speech. **Some** people can't keep their mouth shut." Eva glared at the students behind her and they stuttered out a response that she didn't hear nor care about.

"It's fine. Let's go." Light responded in an uncharacteristically bitter mood. Eva nodded and took his arm, letting him lead her outside.

"I really am sorry. I swear, the students behind me didn't stop talking. I even yelled at them." Eva tried to reason with him, wondering if he was mad at her. Eva watched Light's face carefully, waiting for a response. When none came, she tried to speak up again, but was cut off by a third party.

"Hey, Light." Light turned in response to the call and Eva leaned forward to see who it was. "Um…nice meeting you."

"No, the pleasure was mine." Light responded. It hardly sounded sincere to Eva.

"Student 162!" Eva called excitedly. Hideki turned his grey eyes to her and gave a small smile. She let go of Light's arm and gave Hideki a hug. "Congratulations on your score!" She felt his body tense in response to her affection, and just when she was about to pull away and apologize for her sudden intrusion of his personal space, he placed his hands gently on her upper back.

"Thanks…um…I don't think I ever got your name." Eva pulled away and smiled sheepishly.

"It's Eva. And of course, I know you now that you've been named freshmen representative. I guess you had no reason to be nervous about that exam."

"I guess not. Well, I'm sure I'll see you two around on campus." Hideki said. Eva watched him walk a few feet to a waiting limousine and get in. The students, who had been sitting behind her and chastising him for his appearance, quickly took note of both Hideki's brains and wealth, and mumbled about how cruel and unfair life was. Eva didn't feel bad for them in the slightest. It was a well-deserved reality check for them.

"Let's go." Light said bluntly. Eva took his arm again and bit her lip nervously.

"Are you okay, Light?" Once again, there was no response.


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Note:** I had a super successful study session, so I'm rewarding myself (and by extension you guys, depending on how you feel about this fanfic, it might be a punishment) with a double post!

Thanks to UmiNight Angel Neko for the damn near immediate review! I love it! I want to say so many things to you but I'm so scared I'm going to give away plot points or make something super obvious. So, I'll just keep posting and we'll see what we see. I super appreciate you guys 3!

* * *

 **Chapter 9**

* * *

 _April 6, 2004_

 _First day of classes and I'm already distracted! Maybe I wasn't cut out to be in the real world where every sudden movement catches my eye._

 _What's this feeling in my stomach? It's like butterflies every time he speaks._

 _I can only imagine what dad's going to think…o boy._

* * *

L shifted awkwardly through the campus quad. It was strange to be out and about with people. He didn't like it. It wasn't safe. He hated that he had to do this. He hated that Kira had pushed him to this. It was not something that he would admit out loud, but he had in fact given this battle to Kira. The war, however, would be a different story. His grey eyes landed on the tiny girl nestled comfortably on a bench sheltered by the shade of a tree. _Smart girl._ It was the only shady bench that he could see on this stretch of the quad. He watched her sift through a seemingly endless pile of papers as he approached.

"Hi Eva." His voice sounded more nervous than he meant for it to, but perhaps that wasn't a bad thing. It helped his image of an unsuspecting, sheltered, college genius who was so focused on his studies that he had little interaction with the world.

"Hideki!" Eva said happily when her eyes moved up to meet his. "Come, sit!" He gladly took the offer, happy to be off his feet for a while. To-Oh was an absolutely massive university. He truly appreciated the size. "I'm so glad to see you! How are your classes going?"

"They're fine." L responded in his usual stoic manner. He was planning on reciprocating the gesture, but she began to speak before he had the chance.

"I'm glad you're continuing your tradition of bucking dress codes." She giggled and tossed the silky locks of her hair over her shoulder. "It was so funny to watch Light have to share his spotlight with someone who has as much a disdain for formal wear as I do."

"Yes, I always felt dress codes were pointless." L mumbled, hooking his thumb into his bottom lip. His eyes wandered over to the pink folder in her hands. He raised a brow at the cartoon pug on it. "What are you reading?"

"Articles by some of the world's bravest journalists." Eva responded, handing him a piece by a British journalist condemning Kira for the black-and-white miscarriage of justice.

"Pro-Kira or anti-Kira?" L suddenly asked. This time she raised a brow at him.

"Well…considering I haven't suffered any brain trauma…anti, of course." she replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. L's lips curled up into a smirk, and as he bit around the skin of his thumb, he couldn't help but to let out a soft chuckle. _What a peculiar girl._ He saw her check her watch out of the corner of his eye. He saw the distress settle on her face.

"I'm sorry, am I keeping you from something?" L suddenly asked.

"No, no. You're fine!" Eva said with a polite wave of her hand. She rested it gently on his arm and he felt something strange happen to him. It was not a sensation he fully recognized. In fact, he wondered if he should ask a doctor during his next medical exam. It was a tingling deep inside of him that seemed to amplify out to his limbs. It was like his blood began to rush so quickly to his heart that it left random patches of cold throughout the rest of his body. "I was just checking to see how much longer Light was going to be in class. I wanted to get something to drink, but I guess I'm stuck for another hour and a half."

"Why don't you go without him? I'm sure he would understand." L reasoned. Eva opened her mouth to respond but bit her lip and averted her gaze. A smile appeared on her lips and she chuckled in a nervous, embarrassed sort of way.

"Because my nausea wasn't just exam induced anxiety." L knew that, but he tilted his head in feigned confusion as if he didn't. "I have stage 4 cancer and this is my treatment week so my muscle weakness is really bad. Light helps me by carrying my bag and letting me lean on him to get from place to place." L watched her closely. If he hadn't been paying such close attention, he never would have noticed her eyes beginning to water before she blinked and let out a laugh. "It's pretty embarrassing, really. I feel so bad for inconveniencing him like that all the time. But…he's such a great guy. He never complains about it. He goes out of his way for me all the time, and even when I tell him not to, he's always there, ready to help."

"Light sounds like a great guy." L meant it. Even if his suspicions of Light being Kira were true, the care and affection that he showed toward Eva seemed to be the only genuine part of him L had observed.

"He really is." Eva agreed with a grin and a nod.

"Why don't I take you to get something to drink? I've been craving something sweet anyways." Eva stared at him with her large, emerald eyes and blinked in disbelief.

"You don't have to do that for me. I can wait for Light, really." she assured him.

"It's no trouble." L replied, picking up her bag. "I'm a lot stronger than I look." He held out his arm for her and she giggled, gladly taking it. He was surprised to feel exactly how much support she put on him. It was unfortunate that a girl as young as her was going through such a harrowing experience. He wondered if she would be able to live out her dream and become a lawyer. Would she be alive long enough? The thought saddened him. The reality of her situation saddened him. It consumed him so much that L barely noticed the walk to the coffee shop or when they had taken a seat in the back, corner booth. Their drinks came quickly, and as Eva sipped on her strawberry lemonade, he observed her, curious to know if her mother had exaggerated her intellectual capabilities. "So, what got you interested in the Kira case?"

"The motive." she stated plainly at first, but then began to elaborate. "I mean, I can't speak to what Kira is doing, but it seems that he's applying a blanket death penalty to anyone he deems unable to abide by a societal contract. It's such a narrow, one-dimensional, childish view of the world…it really sickened me." L smirked at the response. It was exactly how he saw the motivation. Eva's face suddenly turned from disgust to a childlike excitement. "Have you been keeping up with it?"

"Yes, a little." L admitted.

"Did you catch L's broadcast?" She leaned forward in anticipation of his answer. L lifted his head up and stared at the ceiling of the coffee shop.

"I watched the replays on the news the next couple of days." It wasn't a complete lie. Technically, he did.

"I watched it live." Eva said. If L didn't know any better, he would have thought she was bragging. Eva closed her eyes and placed her hands on her heart. "He's so amazing. He's my hero. I know L will catch Kira!"

"Hero? Really?" The sentiment bothered him. He was sure his journal entry would get her to drop the use of that word, but perhaps he could reason it out of her.

"Of course." Eva nodded with unflinching appreciation.

"How can you admire someone you've never met to such a degree? What if he's a bastard? Wouldn't it shake your faith in him?" L noticed the sudden drop of her smile. Eva opened her eyes and gave him the best puppy dog eyes he had ever seen.

"What do you mean?" she asked innocently. L opened his mouth to respond, but once again, she beat him to it. "I know he's probably a bastard." The response shook L.

"Then why—"

"The difference between me and Kira is that I don't have an idealized view of the world. I see the good, the bad, the ugly, the beautiful, and I accept all of it. We have a responsibility as passengers on this ship to try and improve the voyage as much as we can before our time is up. L has done a great deal to further that goal." Eva smiled at just his name. "I have no doubt that L is as flawed as any other human being…but that's not why he's my hero. I have no delusions about meeting a perfect person who has everything figured out. I just hope I can leave some good behind in his world like he will." L stared back at her, speechless. He wasn't quite sure how to respond. Eva giggled at his stunned face and propped her head up in her hand. She kept his gaze. "Show me a hero, and I'll write you a tragedy."

"Fitzgerald?" L asked, happy to have an out to his momentary muteness.

"Ahhh, you know your literature, sir."

"Hypothetically," L began, "say you're speaking to Kira. How would you know?" Eva tapped her chin in thought.

"Well, I'm not sure that I can know…. We have no idea how Kira kills his victims, or even really chooses them. He switches back and forth between petty unindicted crime to some of the most horrific convicted criminals. I guess…if I could get him to admit something that only Kira would know, something that wasn't public knowledge…." Eva thought out loud. She smiled and shrugged. "But I'd have to have access to things that weren't public knowledge. I'd have to be an attorney, or investigator, or something." _Impressive._ There were no exaggerations here. Eva's attention turned to her phone when it began to vibrate. She flipped it open and began to text. "That's so funny, I didn't even notice how much time had passed." She looked up at L. "Light's out of class. I invited him to come join us." Her eyes suddenly lit up. "Hey! This is fun! I never get to discuss the Kira case with anyone! We should do this more often! Why don't we exchange numbers?"

"Sure." L pulled out his burner phone and programmed Eva's number into it. They chatted for a while longer until L noticed a slightly disgruntled Light glancing around the coffee shop. "Over here." L called out in a barely louder than usual voice. He raised his hand and Light made his way over, completely ignoring him.

"Are you okay, Eva?" She nodded and smiled sweetly at him.

"I'm fine. Hideki was kind enough to bring me here since I was thirsty. Come, sit with us." She scooted over in the booth to make room for him next to her.

"No, we have to get going." Light replied, clearly agitated by the situation. "C'mon."

"We haven't had a chance to talk at all, Light." L egged on, amused by the scene.

"The first day of classes are always busy." It was a pathetic excuse.

"The second is usually calmer. We should play a game of tennis tomorrow."

"No, thanks. Eva has her chemotherapy tomorrow. I'm going to visit her in the hospital." Light replied haughtily.

"No, Light! You should play! I'll be fine." Eva insisted.

"I—" She immediately cut Light off by placing her hand on his.

"C'mon. You never do things for yourself. You love tennis! You should go. I'll be fine, really. My mom wanted to come spend time with me anyways." She gave him a reassuring smile. L watched Light's shoulders tense. He turned toward L with the fakest smile L had ever seen.

"Alright. Tennis. Tomorrow." It was a begrudging agreement at best.

"I look forward to it." L mumbled through a smirk.

* * *

 _April 7, 2004_

 _I think I love him._

* * *

Light rushed up the stairs of the hospital, taking them two at a time. _Room 740, 745, 750, 755, 760…765! There!_ Light ran into the room and to his father's side with L in close step behind him.

"Mom…." Light looked up at his mother who gave him a weak smile.

"He's going to be okay." She rubbed her bloodshot eyes and stood. "I'm going to get some clothes from home. He's going to be admitted for a while. Take care of him, Light."

"Sure, mom." Light took a seat next to his father's bed and L pulled up a chair as well.

"So, the doctors think stress was the only cause?" Light clarified.

"Yea." Soichiro admitted. "To be honest, I thought it was Kira when I first collapsed, but I"ll be alright." He shifted uncomfortably in the narrow hospital bed, taking care not to move his IV. "It seems I've been pushing myself a bit too hard lately."

"Indeed. It must have added to your stress knowing that Light is a suspect in this investigation." L added nonchalantly. So nonchalantly, in fact, that it took Light a moment to process the information.

"You actually told my father that?" he asked in an annoyed whisper.

"Yes." L admitted shamelessly. "In fact, I've told him everything. He even knows that I am L." _This is it._ Light turned his eyes to his father for confirmation. Soichiro nodded.

"That's correct. This man is L. To protect his identity, we on the task force refer to him as Ryuzaki, but make no mistake, it's him." _This guy is the real L. My father wouldn't lie. The very same man whose been controlling the police up to this point. If I get rid of him and the rest of the investigative team—no, no let's face it: It wouldn't be that simple. There's no need to rush. I have time to sit back and watch. For now, I'm Light Yagami who's worried for his father._ "So, Ryuzaki, now that you've had the chance to talk to my son, is he cleared as a suspect?"

"When I say I suspect him, you should know it's very minor." L clarified. "We've gone over this, but I'll explain it again: not long ago, Kira killed twelve FBI agents who had come to Japan to assist us." L redirected his gaze toward Light. "They were instructed to follow people connected to the Japanese police. One of these agents, Raye Penber, exhibited unusual behavior before he died." Light sifted through his memory bank, trying to pinpoint exactly what L would be referring to as 'unusual behavior.' He crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair.

"I understand. I was one of the people Raye Penber was investigating before he died. It only makes sense I'd be a suspect." Light smirked and met L's eyes. "Nope, to be more precise: there's no one else you could suspect."

"I find Light's deductive prowess quite impressive." It was a shallow compliment at best, and Light saw right through it. "He's always quick and to the point."

"Ryuga, I'd like to help with the investigation." Light offered. _Is that quick and to the point enough for you, L?_ "My father has erased any doubts I might have had regarding your true identity. Also, I'd like nothing more than to catch Kira so I can prove once and for all that I'm not him."

"No, Light." Soichiro objected. "This is a time in your life where you should be studying, there will be plenty of time to join the investigation when you're done."

"C'mon, dad. Who knows how many years that'll take. Besides, don't you remember my promise? That if something ever happened to you, I would find Kira and make sure he gets executed." They shared a moment of silence together.

"And what about Eva? Have you two made things official yet?"

"Official?" L inquired.

"Gee, you make it sound so formal, dad." Light joked. He hadn't made anything official, and as much as he played it off as a stupid formality…the truth was: he was scared. What if she didn't want anything official? What if she had second thoughts about their friendship? He wanted it to be official more than anything, but he hated feeling this vulnerable. "No, we haven't made anything official." he finally answered.

"She's a sweet girl, Light. She and her mom came to see me. It was sad to see such a young girl hooked up to so many machines. You should visit her before you head out." Soichiro urged.

"Is she still here?" Light asked. Her chemo should have been over hours ago. His father nodded.

"Her blood pressure was very low. They admitted her overnight for hypotension. They should both be here."

"Thanks, dad. I'm going to go see her before visiting hours are over."

"I'll come with you." L offered. It was annoying having him tagging along at every turn.

"You don't need to do that." Light said, quickening his pace down the hallway.

"Really, I want to." L responded bluntly, matching his speed with Light's. _Bastard._ They awkwardly bumped shoulders in a race to enter Eva's room first. Light's heart dropped when he saw her. She looked so pale and weak, but she was still smiling. Her mother was in bed with her, holding her and whispering something in her ear. Light may have considered himself an optimist, but in that moment, all he saw was pain. It angered him. This was all because of that good-for-nothing doctor and that scumbag protester. He would make them pay. As soon as the heat was off him, Light would make sure they suffered. Eva opened her eyes and her smile widened.

"Light, Hideki, what are you two doing here?" She lifted her head, just slightly, to try and look at her mother. "Mom, that's my new friend from To-Oh, the one I was telling you about. Student 162." Liliana's eyes widened.

"Really?" she asked. "How interesting. Nice to meet you, student 162." There was something different about her tone, and suddenly, Light felt like there was another secret here.

"I heard you were admitted for hypotension. I wanted to see how you were doing." Light smiled and pulled a chair up to her bed.

"That's so sweet." Eva reached over and grabbed his hand. "How's your dad doing? We saw him a little while ago."

"He's doing better, thanks." Light replied, sandwiching Eva's hand between his palms.

"I actually came to impart a bit of information on you before Light had the opportunity to." L spoke up.

"I can't wait to hear this, Student 162." Liliana chimed in sarcastically. Eva raised her eyebrow and looked around the room.

"What's going on?"

"I am L." It was stated with the same monotone non-flare like every other word out of his mouth. Eva laughed at the proposition.

"You're so funny, Hideki."

"Sweetie, he's not lying." Liliana whispered to her daughter. Eva's eyes suddenly widened and Light nodded as well.

"It's true. My dad confirmed it." Light added. He looked up toward Liliana. "But how did you know?"

"I'm L's attorney." she replied with a smirk. Light's eyes shot to Eva and she gave him a sheepish smile.

"Sorry I didn't tell you. I couldn't."

"I understand." Light replied, though he felt a bit annoyed.

"Is this a prank?" Eva asked, furrowing her brow. "Are you guys just trying to raise my blood pressure?"

"It's not a prank." L assured. "I wouldn't delve knee-deep into dishonesty and deception for a prank." She grinned from ear to ear and Light failed to understand the look between them.

"Wow…so you're really L?" Eva couldn't keep her eyes off the scrawny man and it only served to further annoy Light. "So, all that talk this afternoon…I'm kind of embarrassed."

"Don't be embarrassed. You should be proud. You stumped me. I had no good response for your rebuttal case for heroism."

"Rebuttal case for heroism?" Light asked.

"It's a long story." Eva dismissed, without ever taking her eyes off L. "Wow, I just have so many questions."

"Excuse me…visiting hours were over ten minutes ago." An irritated nurse said, poking her head into the door. Light thanked the gods it was over. Seeing Eva swoon all over L was more than he could handle. _Why is she acting like this? It's not like her at all._

"I hope you feel better soon. Let me know if you need anything." Light offered with a polite smile.

"Thanks, Light. I can always count on you." Eva responded in kind. She bid her farewells to everyone else, and Light followed L out to his limo. He frowned. The whole thing had left a sour taste in his mouth.

"Ryuga." Light called out. L turned and faced him. "What would it take to get you to believe that I'm not Kira? Please! Isn't there something?" It was worth a shot.

"If you aren't Kira, that won't be necessary. Let things run their course and the truth will be revealed." L's matter-of-fact way of speaking was really beginning to grind on Light's nerves.

"I can't take this anymore! Put yourself in my position. My father's in the hospital for stress. Eva's probably going to find out I'm a suspect, and who know what that'll do to her health. How do you think it feels to be accused of being Kira?" L paused for a moment and looked up, running a finger across his bottom lip.

"It was one of the worst feelings ever." L replied.

"What if you were to lock me up for a month in a place with no TV or any other kind of access to the outside world and keep a constant watch over me?"

"That's no good." L responded. "I can't do anything that would deprive you of basic human rights." Light could barely contain the scoff that begged to leave his throat. _I guess warrantless wiretapping and surveillance doesn't fall into that category. What a hypocrite._ "And furthermore…it's complete nonsense for the investigator to take suggestions from his suspect."

"I understand."

"Don't worry so much. Be patient. It'll become apparent to us if you're not Kira. Listening to that conversation between you and your father, I was almost convinced you might not be him." They exchanged a challenging look. "Light, please take good care of Mr. Yagami and Eva." L leaned back into the limo and Light bent over to see him.

"O, one more thing: I know I agreed to help with the investigation, but I don't think I'll be able to do much until my father's healthy again."

"Yes, of course." L agreed. The window rolled up and the limo drove off, leaving Light alone with his thoughts. _Hideki Ryuga, Ryuzaki, he's the L I've been fighting this whole time. What is his real name?_

"Light, you know it's still not too late to make the eye deal." Ryuk said, as if he could read his mind.

"That's no good, Ryuk. I already told you: as things are, I can't touch L." Light dismissed.

"Not for L. To see Eva's remaining lifespan." The suggestion felt like a dagger through his heart.

"What are you trying to say?" Light asked, turning his eyes to Ryuk. Black feathered wings grew out of the god of death's black. They lifted him up in the air.

"I'll be home when you're done here. O, and we're almost out of apples." Ryuk reminded him before taking off into the night. Light's heart raced. He turned on his heel, back into the hospital, and rushed to Eva's room. He looked into the tiny, square glass window. The countless machines she was hooked up to were still reading her vitals. Her IV was still connected. She still looked brittle and weak. Light dug his fingernails into the palm of his hand. Those words would haunt his nightmares.


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's Note:** Alright, this chapter was a little tedious and took me a while to get out. I might go back and refine the writing a little at some point.

Thanks to UmiNight Angel Neko and Guest for your reviews! Don't you guys worry, there's plenty more angst coming.

* * *

 **Chapter 10**

* * *

 _April 16, 2004_

 _Light isn't Kira._

* * *

"Are you going to say anything?" Light asked timidly, trying to lower his head and meet Eva's gaze. She kept her sullen eyes on the coffee cup in front of her. Her thumbs traced the edges of the cardboard sleeve and she sighed. A small frown appeared on her pink lips.

"I don't know what to say. He really thinks you're Kira?" She glanced up at Light. He nodded. "I thought he was smarter than that." she grumbled.

"Yea, me too." Light admitted. "I guess the real L doesn't meet the hype."

"I don't understand why he would think that…." Light wasn't sure if Eva was talking to him or just thinking out loud, but he let her continue. "I mean…it doesn't make any sense. You wouldn't hurt a fly. Not to mention he said you were a great guy."

"He said that?" Light asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yea, when we were talking the day before your dad was admitted into the hospital. I told him how much you help me, and he said you sounded like a great guy. I just don't get it."

"Well, try not to worry about it." Light smiled and took her hand. "I'm joining L's investigation, and when I find Kira, he'll have to admit he was wrong to suspect me." Eva quickly snatched her hand away and crossed her arms childishly over her chest. She gave him an angry pout.

"And just how is that supposed to make me feel better?" Light's eyes widened in surprise.

"I thought you'd be happy that I'm investigating Kira!" he defended. Eva bit her lip nervously and blinked back tears. "Eva…what's wrong?"

"Mom's L's attorney, dad's calling contacts at the CIA for help, you're investigating with the Japanese police…and Kira's proven that he'll kill anyone investigating him or standing in his way. What if he starts targeting you guys next? What if something happens to you?" Her voice broke and she looked down, trying to hide her tears.

"Hey…don't be sad." Light left his place across the table from her and slid into her side of the booth. He wrapped her up into a tight hug and she gladly took the opportunity to rest her head on his shoulder. "I swear, nothing will happen to us, so there's no need for you to worry, okay?" Eva nodded, letting out a small unconvinced laugh.

"You could only promise me that if you were Kira." It was a joke when she said it, but when Light failed to respond, she pulled away from the hug and looked up at him. He kept eye contact with her, opening his mouth a bit to say something but falling short. They stared at each other for a moment. "Light?"

"Would you hate me if I was?" he suddenly asked. She tried to read the look on his face. Was he joking? It was a strange expression, one that she hadn't seen before. Eva tilted her head and squinted her green eyes at him. It was like his confidence was wavering. She had never known him to be unsure of himself before.

"Why would you ask me that?" she replied. It came out as a meek whisper. Light smiled, exhaling through his nose in a small huff.

"It's just a hypothetical." Light assured. He stood and offered her his hand. "C'mon, we should get home before it gets too dark." Eva nodded and let him help her stand. They left the coffee shop in silence. As they walked home, she found herself clinging tighter and tighter to Light's arm. Would she hate him if he were Kira? It was a difficult question to answer, and she was beginning to dislike him for even making her think about it. "Good night." She snapped back to reality, suddenly realizing that they were already standing in front of her house. Light gently pulled his arm away and began to head home. Eva watched him walk with slouched shoulders. He never slouched. She watched his feet drag a bit and his head lazily tilt to one side. The only thing Eva hated was seeing him like this. She mustered up her strength and ran toward him, wrapping her arms around his waist and burying her face in his back.

"I would never hate you…no matter what." Her voice was muffled by his jacket, but Light understood her. He turned around to embrace her properly and she smiled up at him with nothing but admiration in her eyes. "But it doesn't matter because you're not Kira. I know you, Light. You could never hurt someone." She watched him closely for a response.

"Yea." he stated simply with a feeble smile. It wasn't very convincing. It made her uneasy. Even when she was back in the safety of her room, the chill that initially crept down her spine when Light asked that horrid, dreadful question still remained. She picked up L's journal and frowned.

"Light's not Kira." she mumbled to the notebook. As much as she wanted to say that it was just a verbal affirmation of what she truly believed, Eva knew it was something that she needed to hear out loud. Doubt was beginning to take hold of her, and for a moment, she thought maybe L did have some insight into her best friend that she didn't.

* * *

 _April 18, 2004_

 _In law class, we learned about this phenomenon called the copycat effect. When a crime is sufficiently sensationalized, there's often imitation. The easier to commit crimes are imitated at higher rates. These would be crimes like creating and distributing drugs. There's a fairly low barrier for entry, and most of the stuff you need you can buy at your local grocery store. The harder to commit crimes are imitated at lower rates. These would be crimes like killing someone in a manner not yet known to law enforcement._

 _This Sakura TV Kira seems…cheap. Like a bad copycat. I'm willing to bet there's some physical evidence that can be traced back to him._

 _Light doesn't believe me. He thinks I'm just overthinking things. He's calling it the med-school effect. You know, the one where every new disease studied sounds like a diagnosis of yourself. He thinks I'm just excited to use a new piece of information I learned. I really think I have good reasons, though…._

 _I really don't think I'm wrong about this._

 _Maybe a third party consultation is in order._

* * *

Eva's eyes filled with hatred and disgust. _A better world? A kinder world? Like this? Through death and fear?_ Her body was shaking with anger.

"Eva…you shouldn't be watching this." her mother said gently. Liliana reached for the remote and Eva quickly grabbed it.

"No! You, dad, Light, L, you're all involved in this investigation somehow. I need to know what's going on." She looked down at her hands, passing the remote from one to the other. "…I don't want to lose one of you. I don't want to lose one of you and not even know why."

"You're right." Liliana agreed, scooting closer to her daughter on the couch and wrapping an arm around her. "You deserve to know what's happening just as much as anyone else." Liliana planted a soft kiss on the top of Eva's head.

"Thanks, mom." They returned their attention to the crudely written letters that spelled out 'Kira' on the television screen. The hostage tape continued to play on Sakura TV. The scrambled voice continued to lament about what a terrible, cruel world this was and how he could make it better. Perhaps what disgusted Eva the most was the blatant plagiarism of L's style.

"I'll now need a response from the police." said the low-quality, scrambled voice. "They must decide whether or not they'll help me create a better world for all of us." Eva stuck her tongue out at the TV. Liliana took the more adult approach of holding out her middle finger to it. "Please announce your decision on the six-o-clock news in four days. I've prepared two videos: one to be aired if the answer is yes and another if the answer is no." The diatribe continued for a few more minutes before the broadcast was suddenly dead air.

"What happened?" Eva asked.

"Give me the remote." Liliana grabbed the remote from Eva's hands and began flipping through the channels until she landed on a live report. The front of Sakura TV Station was completely smashed open. Glass lay scattered on the ground and could be heard under the tires of an approaching police car.

"Wow, it looks like a bus drove through there." Eva mumbled. The camera switched to a different angle, indeed revealing a bus sitting in the lobby of the station.

"Good eye." Liliana complimented her daughter. The police officer on the screen exited his vehicle and nearly immediately dropped to the ground, clutching his heart. "What the hell?"

"Kira?" Eva whispered.

"Shit, I have to call L." Liliana replied, throwing off the blanket on her lap and heading into her office. Eva remained on the couch and watched the scene unfold. More officers began showing up in riot gear. They created a blockade around the building and Eva smiled.

"I guess that's your answer, Kira. You won't have to wait four days." she mumbled to herself. Eva stretched out on the couch, fully intending to take a nap, but something wasn't sitting right with her. _Why go through the trouble?_ She propped herself up on her elbows and frowned. "Why risk being discovered through such a sloppy means of communication? For what?" She threw the blanket off her legs and sped up the stairs, straight into her room. She opened her window and reached across the back alley, tapping on Light's glass. Just when she was about to give up, Light opened the window and leaned out.

"I'm assuming you saw the broadcast?" he asked with a smirk.

"Yea…are you busy?"

"No, come over." He reached out his hands for her and she took them, sliding into his room.

"I think this is a copycat Kira." Eva came out strong with the accusation, causing Light to lean back and raise his eyebrows in surprise as if he had been physically impacted by the force of her words.

"Wow. What makes you say that?" he asked.

"Because none of this lines up with Kira's previous patterns of behavior. If he was so worried about the impact law enforcement could have on him, why wouldn't he have made this announcement when the FBI was in Japan investigating him? It would have been a pretty good public relations move from an objective perspective. Sure, he could've lost some support, but Kira could have shaken the public trust in the police, exposed the FBI agents, and gained some level of cooperation. Instead, Kira just silently killed the FBI agents. Why do that?" Light opened his mouth to answer, but Eva cut him off, answering her own question. "Well, it kind of seems like Kira doesn't want to shake the public's trust in the police. It seems like he's plenty capable of taking care of external threats, like law enforcement investigating him, on his own. In fact, it kind of seems like he prefers to keep that battle on the down low. After all, it wouldn't be in the best interest of Kira's public image if people knew he was slaughtering law enforcement left and right. The quieter that stays, the easier it is for people to support him. There's no moral or ethical issue. Plus, why risk involving more people? Kira would have either had to deliver or mail the tapes to Sakura TV. That street is riddled with cameras. It seems stupid to risk going there in person. Mail can be tracked through the post office. DNA can be collected from the envelopes. Even if Kira had someone else do it for him, that's still a risky involvement of another person." Light placed his hand over Eva's mouth to keep her from rambling on any longer.

"That's a lot of speculation." he corrected her. Eva nodded and pulled his hand down off her mouth.

"I know! But don't you think there's a chance?"

"A copycat crime of a regular murder is one thing, but a copycat crime of a Kira murder is an entirely different thing. How many people do you think have that ability?"

"Two or more." Eva stated plainly. Light shook his head at her.

"This is a zebra." he chastised.

"It is not!" Eva defended.

"Yes, it is, Eva. You heard hoof beats and you thought zebra when you should have thought horse. It's probably more likely that the stress is getting to Kira." Light sat down in his chair and crossed his arms. "You're like those med students who diagnose themselves with every disease they read about." Eva frowned at his dismissive attitude. Why wasn't he taking her seriously?

"Yea…maybe." She had given up for the time being. "I have some homework to do." She opened the window and Light grabbed her arm.

"Hey, don't be upset."

"I'm not upset." she lied, hoisting herself through the opening without any help. The thought ate away at her for a while. Even after she had tried to distract herself with a shower and dinner, it lingered in the back of her mind. Eva huffed and picked up her phone, scrolling through her contacts. She landed on Hideki Ryuga and began to compose a text. "Hey, do you have a couple minutes to talk?" she read out loud, wondering if the tone sounded too desperate. Light's laugh echoed in her mind and she suddenly lost the confidence to send the text. She saved it in her drafts and flipped the phone closed. Maybe this was a zebra.

* * *

 _April 22, 2004_

 _I'm really scared for L. What if something happens to him? I don't know what I would do. I think I'd lose hope in bringing Kira to justice._

* * *

"The director general or L? Who will pay the price for your refusal to cooperate in the creation of a peaceful world? You have four days to decide." Static replaced the crudely drawn name on the screen and Eva threw a pillow at the TV. Ben turned it off and watched his daughter retreat into the shell of her arms, hugging her knees close to her chest. Tears threatened to spill out of her eyes.

"Why would the police let Sakura TV broadcast this? Don't they realize what a dangerous position they're putting L in?" Her voice was shaking and Ben wished he could do something to comfort her.

"You know your mom wouldn't let that happen. She's probably in that meeting right now raising hell about this." he assured her. Eva nodded meekly. "Hey, did she ever tell you about massive child trafficking case she prosecuted?" Ben smiled when Eva turned to him in interest, if only slightly. "Witnesses were dropping dead left and right, and the district attorney's office thought this previously open and shut case was about to have zero evidence. Your mom grabbed the remaining two witnesses, drove them to some military base, four hours from LA, that had a bunker from World War II. She was on the phone that whole drive coordinating agreements between federal and state agencies, getting warrants signed, and she even organized a few swat raids that captured the two guys who had been assassinating her witnesses."

"Wow…mom did all that?" Eva's eyes were wide with intrigue.

"She sure did. She shouldn't have because she's a terrible driver and I think that was the greatest threat to those witnesses' lives, but she did it." Eva laughed at her father's joke and gave him a hug. "She'll do the same thing for L."

"Drive dangerously with him?" Eva clarified with a smile.

"No, hopefully not that. All the other stuff." Ben replied, giving her a quick pat on the head. "Now go get some sleep." Eva nodded and headed up to her room. As she brushed her hair before bed, she caught a glimpse of her cellphone sitting on her pillow. She stared at it for a moment before scooping it up and opening up her draft text messages. She ran her eyes over the text again and hit send. Five minutes passed. Then ten, then twenty, and after thirty minutes with no response, she closed the phone and set it on her nightstand. A frustrated sigh left her.

"They're probably still in that meeting." she said, trying to comfort herself as she pulled the blankets up over her head. When her phone began to buzz, it was two in the morning. Eva groggily groped the darkness, trying to remember where she had put it. The text reminder went off, vibrating again, and she followed the noise. The light from the screen blinded her when she opened her phone, and the adjustment process was slow to say the least. Her annoyance quickly dissipated when she saw his name and his request for a phone call. She hit the dial button immediately and sat up in bed.

"I expected you to be asleep by now." It was a strange, nontraditional greeting, but Eva didn't mind. She could hardly contain her excitement, and she was sure that he would hear her smiling ear to ear in her responses.

"No, no, I was wide awake." she lied. "I just…I was worried about you." The confession filled her stomach with butterflies. She was being awfully straightforward with him. What was overcoming her?

"Worried?"

"Yea, I saw the Kira broadcast."

"I see."

"Did it seem odd to you?"

"What?" Eva frowned at **his** straightforwardness.

"The broadcasts."

"In what way?" She paused for a moment, trying to think of the best way to phrase her concerns.

"In the way that maybe this isn't **the** Kira…but a copycat?"

"A copycat? No." Eva felt her heart break at the sudden dismissal of her idea. Light didn't take it seriously, why should L? She **was** just chasing zebras. "I speculate this is someone who is ideologically aligned with Kira and supporting him." A few seconds passed before Eva fully processed the sentence.

"Wait, so you think this is different from **the** Kira, too?"

"Yes."

"Did you guess that from the pattern of behavior and the seemingly nonexistent motivations?" Eva leaned forward. She could feel her heart racing with excitement. She and L had independently come to the same conclusion. If the cancer took her right then and there, she would have been fine with it. Her life was very complete in that moment.

"Among other things." _Secretive as ever, L._ "Regardless, it's an angle that I plan on exploring further. It does give me a bit more confidence, though."

"What do you mean?"

"To have my opinion validated." he clarified.

"I should be saying that to you." She was amused by the idea that the greatest detective in the world would gain confidence in an idea from the musings of a pre-law student.

"Thank you for your concern, Eva. You should get some sleep. I apologize for the late call."

"No, it's no trouble." Eva replied. She expected the call to cut off there, without another word of acknowledgement, and she had planned to not take it personally.

"Let's talk again soon." She heard the click of the phone and her screen flashed, signaling the end of the call. She squealed with excitement. _He wants to talk to me again! Soon!_


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's Note:** Ahh this chapter was super fun to write. I didn't expect there to be so many chapters before the introduction of Misa, but I guess there are.

Thanks to UmiNight Angel Neko and Guest for your reviews! Guest - you totally blew my mind. I was just talking to someone about gaslighters the other day, and I didn't even realize that was how I was writing Light. He totally does gaslight her! Ugh, I missed a prime opportunity to call this story "gasLight."

* * *

 **Chapter 11**

* * *

 _April 23, 2004_

 _I can't believe I was in his hotel room! I feel so…strange, almost like I was doing something wrong. It was kind of thrilling. I think I'm a little too sheltered._

 _I'm so nervous to ask dad... Especially since he's been in such a bad mood this week. He got my latest lab report. My markers are exactly where they were last time. They're going to up the chemo to six hours and adjust the regimen again._

* * *

L replayed the tapes for the third time in a row, analyzing the victims of the Sakura TV tapes in great detail. They could hardly be considered criminals. The first had a minor mention in a tabloid article, something about him being a pain in the ass to work for. L couldn't really remember. He snickered to himself. By that standard, he would definitely be on Kira's shortlist. L scratched his head and leaned back in the chair, arching his back to stretch it out a bit. He kept his eyes on the screen in front of him as the images continued to play. The second victim stormed off a daytime talk show interview after exchanging unpleasant words with the host. L smirked, wondering how far up his name really would be on Kira's list. This pattern of killing wasn't just out of Kira's normal behavior as Eva had mentioned. It was an intentional act.

"If I were going to act in favor of Kira, but independently, I would select victims that I knew for a fact Kira wouldn't be focused on killing. Still…I'd pick people who behaved badly in public so that there's some plausible deniability." L mumbled to himself as he stacked a tower of sugar cubes. He frowned at the tower in dissatisfaction and added another three cubes. "Someone ideologically aligned with Kira…someone who admires Kira…but someone who doesn't know who Kira is." He checked the clock on the wall. Just a few more hours before the task force would meet. "Light Yagami is Kira…." L mumbled under his breath again. "No, Light Yagami is the first Kira. This is the second Kira. Capturing one could lead us to the other." He took a deep breath and held it for a moment before exhaling. "It makes no sense to pursue them one at a time…." L turned his eyes to the tower of sugar cubes. "I could have Light join the investigation. That would give me the opportunity to observe him under pressure." He frowned. "No…he's too careful. He's too calm. I'd need to catch him off guard." L thought for a moment. The only times he'd seen Light come slightly close to losing his cool was anytime Eva was involved. Would it be wrong to exploit that? Would it be wrong to exploit her? It wasn't very becoming of a hero. _I have no doubt that L is as flawed as any other human being…but that's not why he's my hero._ He shook his head. Why was he suddenly thinking about her words? Why did he feel like he could suddenly smell her perfume? _I have no delusions about meeting a perfect person who has everything figured out. I just hope I can leave some good behind in this world like he will._ Why was her gentle smile and melodic laugh still so fresh in his memory? "Well…as long as she has no delusions." L reached out to the table and flicked his finger against a cube in the middle of the tower. It flew out from between, taking the structural integrity of the tower with it. L smirked at the sight. He liked watching things crumble, especially when he was the one to make it happen.

* * *

Eva's heart raced as she followed this stranger to a hotel suite tucked away around the bend of the hallways. Every time she passed a reflective surface, she took the opportunity to check her hair and makeup, straightening herself out little by little. The old man in front of her knocked on the door.

"Come in." she could hear someone say from the other side. The man held the door open for her, and when she walked through it, he closed it behind her, leaving her alone with L.

"Wow…so that's Watari, huh?" She felt silly, but she wasn't sure how else to break the silence.

"Yes." L replied plainly. "Please remove your coat and turn off your phone." Eva nodded. When she slipped her arms out of her coat and noticed L staring at her, a sudden shyness took over. She felt exposed. It was silly, obviously she wasn't. She still had on a full-sleeve blouse and pants. She hadn't even removed her flats. But there was still something so intimate about the moment. "Are you ready to begin?" Was she? This was all so sudden. Admittedly, she had been the one to jump at the opportunity when L asked her to come over and help with the investigation, but she suddenly realized how dangerous this all was. It was like the seventeen years of parental cautiousness that Eva had rolled her eyes at was beginning to kick in all of the sudden. L had started off their relationship on a lie. He had pretended to be some shy, polite pre-law student. He wasn't that at all. In fact, ever since he had exposed his identity to her, he had barely seemed more human than the initial scrambled-voice broadcast that she had heard. Maybe this was a mistake. After all, she really didn't know anything about this man. No one did.

"Why did you want my help?" she suddenly asked. The tone came out more accusatory than she meant for it to, but the fear was beginning to take over. L didn't even flinch at her question. "I'm not…I mean…I see why you would ask Light. He's a genius. I'm just some random pre-law student. What could I possibly have to offer your investigation? I'm not anything special." L's face remained just as stoic as before and Eva bit her lip as she averted her gaze to the floor.

"I disagree." L replied in a very matter-of-fact tone. "Your analysis of the broadcast was quite good." He shuffled awkwardly to the TV and began lifting up tapes, inspecting the labels on them. "If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to hear your thoughts on the two that were never publicly broadcast." Eva stared at his back in disbelief. Suddenly, all of her fear was gone. This was L again, the man that she admired and looked up to, the one she wanted to emulate as closely as possible. She wasn't in any danger. In fact, she was exactly where she wanted to be: alone with her hero.

* * *

Static replaced the images previously on the TV and L clicked it off with the remote in his hand

"Well?" he asked, cocking his head toward Eva. Her eyes seemed vacant as she continued to stare at the black screen. It was like the girl he had been interacting with had gone away, leaving only anxiety in the shell that imitated her body.

"Hypothetically," Eva began her sentence in the same manner that L had during their first engagement in that coffee shop nearly a month ago, "say you're Kira. Given all that's happened, would you trust L to stop pursuing you?"

"Not at all." L replied plainly.

"Neither would I. In fact, I would try to create a situation in which L's death was certain, no matter what the other parties decide." He could see her knuckles turning white as she tightened her grip on the edge of the couch. It was as if simply acknowledging that reality put her in an unbearable amount of discomfort. "A name and a face…that's the running theory, right?"

"That's correct."

"But this Kira was able to kill almost instantly…. How could he have known who would respond? Even more, regardless of what the police decide, he asked you to appear on TV. If this Kira just needs a face, then this is the ideal situation. Your life is forfeit no matter what." Her voice broke a bit, and she lowered her head and sniffled. Though L couldn't see her face, he was sure she was struggling to hold back tears. He leaned forward for a moment, wondering if he should get up and comfort her, but he wouldn't know how to begin.

"I won't go down that easily." he assured her.

"How can you be so sure?" Eva asked, wiping her cheeks with the sleeve of her blouse. L stood up and she followed his movement until she was staring up at him. He gave her a mischievous smile.

"I still have a few tricks up my sleeve." L wasn't sure when she stood to hug him. It all happened so fast. Her arms snaked around his waist, the smell of her perfume drifted up to his nose, and he could feel the gentle scrapes of her fingernails through his shirt. There was that sensation again—the one he swore he would discuss with a doctor. What was it? And why did it make him so nervous?

"I want to join the investigation!" Eva said, pushing the side of her face against his chest. "Please…I'm in the best position to do the front-facing work." There was a slight pause. "My life is going to end no matter what. I just want to make a difference before it does." L suddenly felt guilty. He shouldn't have dragged her into this. Her intelligence had blinded him to the reality of the situation: she was still very much a child. He pulled away from her and she stared up at him in confusion.

"No matter how gifted, you alone cannot change the world." he began to lecture.

"What do you mean?" Those damn puppy dog eyes again. L turned away from them, distracting himself with organizing tapes and stacks of paperwork. "I've never subscribed to that belief." He stopped and glanced at her over his shoulder. "Either I'll be able to lay a foundation for someone else more capable than I, or I'll be able to stand on the shoulders of giants to accomplish something previously thought to be impossible. Either way…I'll be leaving being something good in this world. And someone will be able to add to it with their own good deed until there's real change." It was happening again. She was leaving him speechless, and L found it both incredible and incredibly frustrating. He finally smiled at her. He had to admit when he was backed into a corner.

"Considering you're still a minor, you'll need your parents' consent." L replied before popping a tape into the TV and resuming his position on the couch. "Thank you for your analysis. I found it quite helpful."

"O…you're welcome." Eva said with a smile. She waited a moment longer, unsure of what to say before taking her leave. When she noticed L deeply involved in his work, she opted to say nothing.

"Please do let me know what your parents decide as soon as possible." L called out to her as she neared the door of the suite. And though her back was turned, and L would never see it, she still bit her lip to try and hold back her massive grin.

"I will." The door of the suite shut, leaving L alone with his thoughts. Was it right to use someone's admiration for him as ammunition against a suspect? He had always been willing to lie, cheat, and steal in the past to solve a case. Why was he suddenly getting cold feet?

* * *

 _April 24, 2004_

 _He really doesn't get it! He doesn't get how important this is to me._

 _I swear, no matter how many chances I give him to get to know me, to understand me, he pushes them all away. This is just like the hospital lawsuit! He_ _ **knew**_ _he shouldn't have rushed that doctor. He_ _ **knew**_ _I didn't want to sue them, and yet he_ _ **still**_ _chose to go against my wishes._

 _Sometimes I wonder if it's better for me to just leave and start a new life away from my parents._

 _But where would I go? Maybe England._

* * *

"No! Hell no, and that's final!" Ben exclaimed, being sure to cross his arms across chest several times so that his body language didn't betray his words.

"Dad!"

"No, Eva! What the hell is this guy doing that's making all the women in this family abandon safe, normal, healthy lives for high-risk, late night investigations?" Eva rubbed her temples, feeling a migraine coming on from the frustrating conversation.

"God! This is so like you!" Eva raised her voice at him for the first time, letting all of her frustrations with their relationship spill out of her. "You've never once asked me what I wanted to do! You didn't care that I didn't need to be on the top of those donor lists, you just wanted me there because it made **you** feel better! You didn't care that I didn't want to sue that doctor or that hospital over their error, but **you** wanted to, so you went ahead and did it!"

"Eva!" Liliana suddenly spoke up, trying to calm her daughter.

"No!" Eva yelled through tears. "This is what he **always** does! I'm going to **die** , dad! There's no amount of money you can throw at that to make it go away!"

"You don't know that! This regimen could work!" Ben shot back.

"There's been no change in my markers! Zero! And this is my third regimen!" Eva suddenly felt her energy fade and she wiped away her tears. "You just…whatever. You don't care." she mumbled before storming up the stairs. Ben watched his daughter retreat and ran both his hands through his short, blonde hair. He gripped it hard, nearly pulling it out of the roots and groaned in frustration. He turned toward his wife and frowned.

"Thanks for all the backup!" he spat.

"I **know** you're not mad at me right now." Liliana retorted in just as venomous a manner. Ben closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"You're right…I'm sorry. I wasn't—I just don't know how to—ah!" He kicked the drywall in the living room in lieu of finishing his sentence. Though Eva had never levied the accusation against him, he felt single-handedly responsible for her cancer. He had been the one to rush the doctors. He had been the one to make demands and threaten legal action, and when mistakes were made, he had opted to shift the blame to the hospital.

"Maybe we should think about letting her pursue this." Liliana said.

"Are you out of your mind?"

"I'm serious. It might be better to nip this in the bud. We could let her do it, but decide the parameters. It's better than her deciding to pursue it on her own without our oversight. What if she does something dangerous?" she reasoned with her husband. Ben's frown intensified. "It's not uncommon for a girl in love to go AWOL."

"That's not a good reason to tie her up in a ribbon and send her off to a mass murderer." Ben mumbled.

"Look, just think about it. L's doing some investigative work tonight. I'll call him tomorrow morning and just get some basic information. If he can keep Eva out of harm's way and she's satisfied looking at a few police documents one night a week, I don't know what it could hurt."

"Yea, I guess." Ben agreed weakly. "I still don't like it."

"I know." Liliana sympathized, wrapping him up in a tight hug and planting a soft kiss on his lips. "But you have a very strong-willed daughter who takes a lot of pride in her principles." Liliana gave Ben another kiss and he rested his forehead against hers. "I hated seeing how miserable you were back then—when she wouldn't even look at you."

"Yea…." Ben agreed. "But I'd do it again in a heartbeat. I'd do anything to keep her alive, even if it means she'll never talk to me again."

"She loves you, Ben. She's just as stubborn as you are. C'mon, come watch a movie with me. We'll talk to L and Eva tomorrow."

* * *

Eva leaned against the door of her bedroom, waiting to hear the TV downstairs. When it began to play, she moved away from the door to the opposite end of her room and dialed his number.

"Did you get an answer?" L asked, jumping straight to the point. Eva swallowed the lump of nervousness forming in her throat.

"Yea, they said it's fine for me to join the investigation." she lied as she stuffed pillows under her blanket and tried to shape them into the form of a body.

"I know it's a bit short notice, but would you be able to come over within the next hour?"

"Yea, I'll be right there."

"Excellent." Eva hung up the phone and slipped it into her pocket. This was the first time she had ever done something like this. She slid open her window and slowly lodged herself between the wall of her house and the wall of Light's house. She slid the window pane down until it was just barely open. After all, she would have to be able to get back into the house. Then, slowly but surely, began to lower herself down the walls. Eva suddenly found herself thinking about L's admission of employing dishonesty in pursuit of victory. She held back a laugh.

"I guess I hate to lose, too, L." she whispered to herself as her feet hit the ground.


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's Note:** I totally had this story planned out and then I added new stuff that I hadn't previously written in this chapter. I kinda love when that happens, but I also worry it won't flow with the story. Fingers crossed!

Thanks to UmiNight Angel Neko, Guest, and crawforddarius7 for the reviews! I appreciate you guys, and don't worry, the relationships between the characters are just beginning to develop. They'll get way more interesting (hopefully).

* * *

Chapter 12

* * *

Light smirked as he made his way to the hotel, still unable to believe his luck. All this time he had been so preoccupied with trying to a find a way into the Kira investigation, yet here L was, handing it to him on a silver platter. He held up his hand to block out the afternoon sun from his eyes as he watched the traffic lights change.

"Nice place." Ryuk mumbled as they entered the lobby of the hotel. Light scoffed at the idea. Nice compared to what? The dump that he and the other gods of death called home? Light was sure anything would be a step up from that. Light noticed Watari out of the corner of his eye and made his way over to him.

"Hi, I'm here to—"

"Come with me." the old man replied quickly, cutting him off in mid-sentence. Light frowned. L's entire operation was inflated with his ego. L might have been able to solve previous cases, but he had never squared off against someone like Light. He had never faced a true challenge. They turned into the large suite and Watari promptly closed the door behind Light as he entered. He checked around the room of police officers, and L approached him with a soft shuffle.

"Thank you, Light." L held out his hand, and though it internally disgusted Light, he put on a smile and shook it.

"Not at all!" Light replied cheerily. "After all, I want to catch Kira just as much as you do, Ryuga." Light wasn't sure, but he thought he saw a hint of skepticism in L's eyes.

"I'll have to ask that you call me Ryuzaki here." the shaggy haired detective corrected.

"Yea, we all have aliases!" Matsuda explained excitedly, clearly a bit too happy with the need for an alias. "I'm Matsui!"

"I'm Aihara." another member of the NPA replied. Light observed him for a moment. He wasn't as familiar with this detective as the others under his father's command. Aizawa, maybe? He hardly seemed suitable for the job with his out of control hair and brash demeanor. Then again, one could make the same argument about L, and he had clearly proven himself.

"And I'm Asahi." Soichiro finally said. Light smiled.

"I see…so I guess I should call myself Light Asahi?" he asked.

"Yes, please do." L mumbled. "But to keep things simple from this point on, I'll call you Light." _Hardly an alias._ "Okay, let's get down to work." L was suddenly so assertive as he shuffled over to a pile of records and paperwork. "You can start by looking over all of the information we've collected. I'd also like you to examine some videos. They were sent to the TV station, but were never aired." Light followed the man and took a seat in front of the large TV. "For security reasons, you're not permitted to take notes and all materials must remain here."

"I understand." Light replied complacently. He didn't need notes. He would find this imposter Kira before anyone else.

"Let's begin." L clicked on the TV and that disgusting Kira overlay came on. Light flinched and leaned forward to hide the contempt that may have been clear on his face. _This video is so mediocre. It's making me sick to my stomach. I don't know…maybe it's because I'm the real one, but this is a complete disgrace to everything that Kira stands for._ Light glanced around for a moment. Something was off. No one had bothered to explain the context of this video to him. Was this another one of L's tests? _In any case, I'd be stupid to comment on it. If I just leave it alone, L dies._ "So, what do you make of this, Light? Have you come to any conclusions?" L asked, leaning over his shoulder and biting around the nail of his index finger. L's awkward quirks and habits were just as repulsive to Light as the video. _Damn! It_ _ **is**_ _a test!_

"It's hard to say for sure," Light started as he stood up, "but there might be another person out there with Kira's power."

"With Kira's power?!" his father suddenly exclaimed. "What do you mean by that, Light?" It was so over the top. His instinct had been correct from the very beginning. This was L's test and Light wasn't going to fall into any of his traps.

"At the very least, I'd say this tape was not created by the Kira that we're familiar with." Light replied, crossing his arms over his chest. "This behavior and victim pattern is extremely out of character." Light mimicked Eva's words. He had to hand it to her, she was quick on her feet. If she recognized the difference in behavior, there was no use denying it with L. "And since we've established Kira needs a name and a face to kill, it makes you wonder how he was able to kill that detective and those officers that showed up outside of the police station."

"Wow…it's the same." Aizawa whispered.

"That's almost exactly how L—I mean, Ryuzaki explained it." Matsuda agreed.

"I think you're exactly right about that." L said. "I also believed this was the work of a second Kira. I figured it might take some convincing for the other task force members, but it should be helpful to have a third affirmative opinion."

"Third?" Light asked, quickly doing the math in his head. "Who's the third?"

"You are." L replied.

"And the second?" Light narrowed his eyes on L. A knock on the hotel door interrupted the conversation.

"How serendipitous." L mumbled under his breath. "That should be her. Come in." Light turned his eyes to the door. He saw her and then saw red.

"You got Eva involved in the investigation?!" Light yelled at L. Though it was brief, Light was sure he saw a smirk on L's face.

"Light!" Eva tried to calm him down, but immediately took a seat on the couch and began to try and catch her breath. Light rushed over to her.

"Are you okay? Did you walk here by yourself?" he asked her softly, trying to keep their moment as private as he could. Though, the hovering crowd wasn't making it easy.

"Yea…I'm just—" she swallowed the lump forming in her throat and took a few more deep breaths. "—just a little out of breath." Light frowned and turned back to L.

"Do you really have that little regard for other people? You're putting her health at serious risk—not to mention her life!" he chastised the discomposed-looking detective.

"Light!" Eva grabbed his hand and stood. He could see her legs visibly shaking underneath her. "It was my decision. I reached out to Ryuzaki and asked to be a part of the investigation." Light shook his head at her. What was she doing? Why did she always have to be so damn difficult? Then another unsettling thought took over him.

"I thought only the agent outside could contact you directly." Light asked L in a very accusatory tone.

"Well, Ryuzaki's legal council is Eva's mother." Soichiro chimed in to explain.

"Actually…." Eva spoke up. Light turned his gaze back to her. "I exchanged numbers with Ryuzaki when we went out for coffee." Light's hand tightened into a fist, and he suddenly noticed the pair of eyes that had never left him. L was watching him closely, with his index finger still pushed firmly against his upper lip and the faint ghost of a smirk still present at the corners of his mouth. He suddenly understood then: Eva was a means to the end. L didn't want her help on this investigation, he didn't need it. She was just thrown into the mix as a way to test him—to catch him off guard. It was a cheap trick, one that Light would definitely make him pay for. Hunting Kira was one thing, but knowingly putting Eva's health and safety at risk? That Light couldn't forgive.

"It's decided then." L said, shoving both hands into the pockets of his jeans. "First, we must focus our efforts on stopping this copycat Kira. From what we've seen, he sympathizes with the real Kira, but clearly lacks his sophistication. I think he might even be willing to obey the original. If so, we could lure him into a trap by sending our own message from the real Kira."

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised." Light replied, somewhat begrudgingly. "You literally took the words right out of my mouth." The statement earned him an odd look from Eva, and he knew exactly what it was about. He shouldn't have been so dismissive of her the other night. It didn't look good for him now. If she said something about it, it would only raise suspicion from L. Luckily, he knew her pretty well, and Eva didn't like to raise a big fuss about anything. Most of the world's problems left her untouched with concern. It was like water off a duck's back. He envied her ability to embrace undying optimism.

"Light, I would like you to play the part of the real Kira." L continued. The sudden shift caught Light off guard, eliciting a small gasp from him. He played along with it.

"Me? As Kira?" he asked innocently.

"Yes, you're the only one I can think of who'd be able to pull something like this off." L's lies were seeping out of his teeth. Light glanced around at the surrounding detectives and Eva. This was just political theatre. They both knew the truth. "At any rate, we don't have time to waste. Do you think you could script a message from Kira in time for it to be aired on this evening's national news?" Ryuk laughed behind Light. _Damn him…he must have been planning this from the beginning. It's the only reason I'm here. The stunt with Eva, having me script Kira…he's just trying to corner me._

"Sure." Light replied with a fake smile. "Anything I can do to help."

* * *

Light scratched out a few words on the page and substituted them for more appropriate language. He leaned back, examining the message again with furrowed brows and a frown. _That's as good as it's going to get._

"Ryuzaki, does this look okay? I think I managed to make it believable." Light said, beckoning the scruffy haired detective over to him. L walked over and picked up the piece of paper carefully from the edges. He held out in front of him by the top corners and read. _What a strange man._

"I think you've done an excellent job with this." L finally replied. "However, if we don't omit the part that says 'you're free to kill L,' then I'm gonna end up dead." Light laughed, genuinely for once. Eva peeked over L's arm to read the piece of paper and gave Light a small glare.

"Light! I can't believe you'd write that!" she chided.

"Sorry!" Light said through his laughter. "I guess I got carried away playing the part. I figured if I were him, I'd probably demand that you be killed." He locked his hands behind his head and leaned back in the couch seat. "I was improvising. Feel free to change it to whatever you like."

"Sounds good…." L replied, drawing a line through the most objectionable statement. Light turned his eyes to Eva, observing her as she began to help with the development of the tape. Her work ethic was impeccable, and perhaps Light would have stopped to admire it if he hadn't begun to feel a layer of betrayal settle on him. Eva was working so hard to contribute everything that she could to this investigation. She was hell bent on playing her part to catch Kira. _I would never hate you…no matter what._ Light wanted to believe those words more than anything else. He wanted to believe that if she found out right this second that he was Kira, she would follow him into the abyss. Why was he beginning to doubt her all of the sudden? He never had reason to before.

When the broadcast aired without a hitch, Light stood and moved to Eva amidst the conversation regarding next steps.

"Ready to go home?" he whispered to her, rubbing her back with his hand. She stared off into the distance for a while, as if something were troubling her.

"Yea." she finally replied, grabbing a hold of his arm. Light sighed with relief. It felt like a heavy burden had been lifted off his shoulders when Eva was back in his arms, back where he could keep her safe.

"Dad, I'm going to take Eva home." Light called out to his father. Soichiro nodded in return, continuing his conversation with the rest of the task force. They turned to face the door, and L stepped out in front of them.

"Eva, Light…thank you both for coming." he mumbled, scratching the back of his head as if he weren't used to showing such overt appreciation.

"Sure, anytime." Light replied.

"We're happy to be here!" Eva added with a cheery smile. L exchanged a look with her that left Light feeling uneasy. His smile was a bit too comfortable. His stare lasted a bit too long. It made Light feel invisible, as if **he** were Eva's god of death, hovering over **her** shoulder, vying for **her** attention. It felt awful.

* * *

Eva stared at the alley between the approaching houses. There was no way she had the strength to get back up those walls. She barely managed to make it down. Besides, what if Light saw her sneaking back up to her room and decided to tell her parents that she was out investigating with him and L? It would be a disaster—an unmitigated disaster.

"Light?" she called softly, tightening her grip on his arm a bit more. She held it like a child holding their favorite blanket for comfort.

"Hm?" he replied.

"Can I sleep with you tonight?" There was a pregnant pause between them.

"Yea…of course." he said, as if he were surprised that she even felt the need to ask.

"Thanks..." she whispered, leaning her face more into his arm. They quietly made their way into his house and up to his room. Even after removing their shoes, the wooden floorboards of the stairs creaked in disapproval of their secretive antics, as if it were trying to reveal their late night activities. Everything sounded louder when it was supposed to be a secret. The click of his door, the flick of the light switch, the hum of the lights. Were they always that bright? Eva carefully opened Light's closet and slid open the top drawer of the dresser inside. She pulled out the first long sleeve shirt she could find and stripped down to change into it. If it were anyone else, Eva would have been concerned about being watched, but when she turned, she noticed Light's back to her as he finished changing into his pajamas. She slid in between the sheets of his bed, and when he got in, she opted to immediately push herself up against him, laying her head on his chest and letting him wrap his arms around her.

"Is everything okay?" Light whispered into the darkness.

"When did you change your mind about there being a second Kira?" she asked him, ignoring his question. After a brief pause, he opted to respond in much the same manner: by ignoring her question.

"Why didn't you bring it up in front of the task force?"

"Because that would have just cast more doubt on you. They already think you're Kira." Eva replied almost instantly. Tears began to well up in her eyes and she clutched his shirt tightly, as if she were hanging onto the last bit of her restraint rather than her best friend. "Do you remember my second week of school? When you saved me from that bully?" she asked with a shaky voice.

"Yea." Light replied, replaying the moment in his head.

"Do you remember the day you saved my life?" That memory was a bit less clear. He shook his head at first, but remembered that she couldn't see him in the darkness.

"No." he replied.

"Do you remember the first time you snuck into my room?"

"Yea, you were really upset that day. You got into a huge fight with your dad, right?" He could feel her nod. He could feel his shirt dampen from her tears.

"I wasn't just upset about the fight." Eva admitted. "For as long as I can remember, we've been moving around for my dad's job. For as long as I can remember, I've felt alone and unimportant." She quickly corrected herself. "I know my parents love me. I know they do. It's just that…they were always so busy. I never really got to know them until a year or two after we moved to Japan. But even then, I felt so much pressure to be as smart as they are. …it just all got to be too much that day."

"It happens to everyone." Light assured, rubbing her back.

"I was going to kill myself." His heart sank at the words. "I was ready to do it. I had the pills and the alcohol. I was just going to go to sleep and not wake up…just like I wanted to for so many years—for as long as I can remember." He felt her head shift up. Her lips grazed his chin and her fingers gently touched his cheek. "But you kept knocking on the window until I opened it, and you came over, and you sat with me until I fell asleep in your arms, and do you remember what you told me?"

"Things will look better when you wake up." Light barely managed to choke out. His voice cracked and he felt Eva nod and let out a weak laugh.

"Yea. And they were. When I woke up, I had a friend who really cared about me, even at his own expense." She propped herself up on her elbow, and Light could barely make out the outline of her face and the glow of her eyes through the darkness as she hovered above him. She kept her fingers on his face, tracing the outline of his jaw. "That's how I know you're not Kira." The words felt like a physical blow to Light's chest. He arched his back slightly from the pain and let out a labored breath. He could feel the tears falling from her eyes. They landed on his cheeks and began to travel down his neck. "Because you're the kind of person who stays awake all night so that someone you care about can sleep easy. Even if I know you share some of the same values as Kira…I know you can't be Kira. You're not a monster. You're not evil. You're Light." Light pulled her down into his chest, holding her tight. He wasn't sure how to respond to her confession or her assessment, so he did what he had done for so many nights when she cried: he held her.

* * *

 _Light's eyes fluttered open to grey, cloudy skies. He groaned and sat up, unable to bear the pain in his lower back._

 _"You're finally awake!" a voice called out to him. He stood, dusting off his pants. Not that it did much good. The ground he had been laying on had at least one inch of fine dust covering it. It was like a desert was beginning to form. He turned his attention to the voice and smiled at her._

 _"Eva."_

 _"C'mon! Come explore with me!" Eva said, tugging at his hand. Light looked around at their desolate, barren surroundings. There were no buildings, no signs, no…anything. Just dark, grey, drab, uneven, jagged land as far as he could see._

 _"It doesn't look like there's much here to explore." he confessed. What was this place?_

 _"There's lots of stuff! C'mon! I'll show you!" Eva pulled him a few feet and he followed her to some type of a bone structure. Light wasn't sure what could leave behind a skeleton like that, but amidst the remaining ribcage sat a rose bush. "Look! Blue roses!" Eva let go of his hand and ran over to them. She picked one rose and held it to her nose, taking in its scent with a deep breath. "They're so pretty, and they smell so good! I wish we had these back home."_

 _"Yea, I can smell it from here." Light admitted, taking in the sweet scent. It was like coconut and vanilla. How strange. He checked their surroundings again and frowned. "This place is kind of creepy."_

 _"Huh?" Eva asked, looking up at him from her kneeling position by the blue roses. "What do you mean? This was your idea, Light!"_

 _"My idea?" he asked._

 _"Yea! At any rate, there's no turning back now." She let out a small giggle and held out her hand for him to take. "C'mon! I've been waiting so long to explore this place with you!"_

* * *

Light's eyes snapped open and he inhaled sharply. He looked over at his cellphone. The ceaseless buzzing had pulled him from his dream—his very odd, vivid dream. Light pulled himself away from Eva's embrace and turned enough to grab his cellphone. He flipped it open and noticed the multitude of missed calls and text messages.

"Shit." he grumbled. _This can't be good._


	13. Chapter 13

**Author's Note:** I really hate writer's block. Even when I have a story planned out, writer's block hits you and you can't even put together a coherent sentence. Literally the worst. Why is this a thing that exists?

Thanks to crawforddarius7 and UmiNight Angel Neko for the reviews! Okay, I totally thought Misa would hit the story by now, but I think it's probably going to be another 3-4 chapters before she does. BUT - I'm super excited to write those 3-4 chapters because I think there's a lot of character development in them, which is always fun.

* * *

 **Chapter 13**

* * *

 _April 25, 2004_

 _I think the rain is magical. It always brings good things._

 _Today was a good day._

* * *

"Eva, wake up!" Light said, shaking the girl's shoulder. She groaned and turned away from him, burying herself in the blankets. "Eva, seriously! Get up!" he said a bit louder.

"Whyyy." Eva whined from under her cotton cocoon. Light glanced back at his phone and threw the covers off himself. He stumbled in an attempt to step into his jeans and pull them on quickly.

"Where's your phone?" he asked as he changed. Eva poked her head up from the sheets and shoved her hand under her pillow. She held the phone out for him to take, and he grabbed it, impatiently punching numbers. When the screen offered no response, he tossed it onto the bed. "How long has it been dead?"

"Since last night. I forgot to charge it before I left." she replied through a yawn. Light stopped in his panic to watch her stretch her arms above her head and twist her hips from side to side under the sheets. Suddenly, he lost sight of the situation, and all he wanted was to get back into the bed with her and strip them both of their clothes. "What?" Eva asked when she noticed him staring at her. He fought the urge and held up his phone, showing her the 13 missed calls from her parents within the last hour. "O crap…."

"I'm going to call them back and let them know you're okay." Light said. He took a seat on the bed next to Eva and began dialing. She quickly grabbed the phone out of his hand and held it behind her back.

"You can't tell them I was with you and L last night."

"What? Why?"

"They explicitly told me not to get involved with the investigation." Eva barely whispered, knowing how upset Light would be with her, and rightfully so. His brow narrowed and a crease appeared above the bridge of his nose. Eva recognized that crease. It only showed up when Light was both worried and angry. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

"So, you walked all the way from home to the hotel without anyone else knowing?" Light asked. She nodded, biting her lip in apprehension of his blowback. "Eva—"

"I know, I know, I'm really sorry!" she interrupted him, leaning forward and grabbing his hands in hers. "Just…please don't tell. Say I just came over here because I was upset and fell asleep."

"You know your mom has probably contacted L and my parents already, right?"

"We don't know that…." Eva objected.

"Well, let's go find out." Light stood and held out his hand for her. Eva gladly accepted his help in standing and changed back into her clothes from the previous night. With tangled hair and unbrushed teeth, they completed the walk of shame back to Eva's house. Upon entering, they were immediately greeted with glares.

"Where the hell have you been?" Liliana demanded, being sure to put emphasis on every word through gritted teeth. Eva's parents were still in their pajamas, and Light noticed the phone that she placed on the counter as she made her way over to them.

"I was at Light's." Eva muttered in response, keeping her eyes on the ground as Liliana tilted her chin up and checked her daughter for any signs of damage.

"You were at Light's?" Ben stepped in. "And you spent the night there?" Eva nodded and Light kept his eyes firmly squared on the ground in front of him. "Sit. Both of you." The two teenagers quickly obeyed the command and the adults paced back and forth in front of them, clearly unsure of how to handle the situation.

"Okay." Liliana finally said, putting her hands on the top of her head and staring straight up at the ceiling. "Are you two having sex?"

"No!" Eva responded, blushing at the idea of exposing herself like that to anyone.

"No." Light agreed, shaking his head, afraid of what Eva's father might to do him in a fit of rage if there was even the slightest hint of intimacy between them. He glanced over at the intimidating man and swallowed the lump in his throat. Ben glared at him with crossed arms.

"I'm not asking to shame you guys." Liliana explained, dropping her arms down by her side. She sighed and took a seat on the coffee table across from them. "It's perfectly normal for two people in a relationship to want to show physical affection. I just want to make sure you two do it in a safe way."

"We're not in a relationship!" Eva cut in before her mother could delve any further into the topic. "I was just upset, so I slept in Light's room." Liliana gave her daughter a skeptical look.

"That's interesting considering L seemed to remember seeing you last night." Ben finally chimed in, clearly unsatisfied with the civility of the conversation. Eva and Light exchanged a nervous glance. "So, were you in two places at once?"

"No…I just—"

"You just snuck out of your room, walked all the way downtown to his hotel, worked on the Kira investigation, went home with Light, spent the night, and didn't bother to tell anyone." Liliana helped along the confession. Eva didn't object. "Dammit, Eva. What the hell were you thinking?" she asked, standing from the coffee table and returning to her pacing. "What if something would've happened to you? No one would have known where to look for you!"

"Did you know about this?" Ben asked Light, never lifting his hostile gaze.

"N-no. She didn't tell me." Light admitted.

"I'm sorry, are you two in a relationship or—"

"No, dad!" Eva quickly objected. She stood up from the couch and turned on her ferocity. Light had never seen her get so assertive with anyone, much less her parents. "You can lecture me all you want, but this wasn't a stupid decision I made without thinking of the consequences. This Kira investigation means a lot to me. Helping Ryuzaki means a lot to me. This isn't something you'll be able to stop me from doing." She pushed past her parents and went straight up to her room. Liliana flinched when she heard the slam of Eva's door and let out an exasperated sigh.

"I'll go check on her." Ben offered. Liliana grabbed his arm and shook her head.

"That's not a good idea. Light, can you go make sure she's okay?"

"Yea, of course." Light replied, happy to find any excuse out of the uncomfortable situation. He took the stairs two at a time and knocked on Eva's door before entering. He found her on the bed next to her balcony window, holding the stuffed shark he had given her for her birthday. The skies outside had not changed much, even with the rise of the sun. Dark clouds lowered themselves from the sky, heavy with rain. Eventually, it all became too much to hold and they overflowed, tipping out their liquid. Light slid into bed behind Eva, letting his legs rest on either side of her as he held her.

"Did you name the shark?" he asked, resting his chin on her head and pulling his arms around her. He felt her nod. "What's his name?"

"Sharktholomew." Her voice was timid and soft. Light chuckled at her pun. "Do you remember that school function we had to attend at the end of junior year? I don't even remember what delegation was visiting, but the top students all had to dress up and greet the visitors?"

"Yea, I think they were from Norway." Light laughed at the memory. "I remember you were really cranky because you wanted to study for the calc exam more instead of being there."

"And I just get cranky in heels." Eva added with a giggle. "But it was raining just like this." She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath, letting the sweet, fresh scent from the cracked window carry her back to that moment. Light followed her lead. He couldn't describe the scent if he tried for a million years. It was fresh, but not crisp. It was sweet, but not overbearing. It was leaves covered with droplets, wet bark, slick concrete, damp bricks, but…also something more. Ah, he remembered that smell more clearly now: it was the useless motion of holding his blazer above his and Eva's head as they ran to the coffee shop after school; it was the glow of headlights bouncing across the shimmering asphalt in the night; it was her laugh as she pulled away strands of wet hair that clung to her face and neck; it was the coarse feel of her black, chiffon dress, drenched by the torrent. Light opened his eyes and looked down at Eva.

"Eva…I think you should pull out of the Kira investigation." he whispered in her ear. He expected her to protest, but she made no attempt to move out of his embrace. In fact, he barely felt her move at all. It was only his ability to see the rise and fall of her chest that assured him she was still alive and well.

"What would you do to Kira if you caught him?" she asked.

"What anyone else would do: sentence him to death." Light lied. Eva turned to him with a smile.

"That's exactly why I need to stay on the investigation." He raised an eyebrow at her. "Because when the time comes, I'll advocate for Kira's right to life as well." The proposition startled Light.

"You wouldn't want him executed?" Eva gave him a strange look and let out a small laugh, as if she couldn't believe he would even need to ask her.

"Of course, not. What Kira did—what he's still doing is awful, but I don't believe law should exist for retribution. It should exist for rehabilitation. I don't know if someone like Kira can be rehabilitated…" Eva turned her eyes away from Light. "…but why kill someone who can provide us with so many answers? About individual psychology, psychological and sociological trends, about how we can prevent something like this from happening in the future. It seems irresponsible." He stared at her in disbelief for a moment.

"Alright," he began to play along, "so, what would you say to Kira to prevent him from killing?" Eva smiled at the hypothetical and laid her head on Light's chest. She closed her eyes and let his heartbeat soothe her.

"I don't know, honestly. But maybe I'd ask him to smell the rain with me." She took in another deep breath.

* * *

"Are you seriously considering this? After she blatantly disobeyed us and snuck out of the house?" Ben asked, following his wife closely as she paced all throughout the house.

"Look, I don't like it any better than you do, but she's going to be and adult soon and then we won't be able to control anything she does." Liliana argued back as she made her way from the kitchen to her office.

"Like hell we won't." Ben retorted.

"No, we really won't. She can move into campus housing." Liliana picked up a document from her printer and frowned at it, noticing several errors. She set it on her desk and picked up a bottle of white-out, shaking it before diligently running the sponged tip across the discrepancies in her document. "I'd rather know where she is and who she's with. We can't keep her sequestered in a bubble forever, Ben."

"What did L say when you asked him this morning?" Ben mumbled, clearly still more interested in the bubble idea.

"He obviously can't guarantee her safety if she joins the investigation, but he has very little reason to believe that she would be targeted by Kira. He would also take every precaution to protect her from harm." explained Liliana. She squinted her eyes at the piece of paper, going over it once again. "At any rate, I'd feel better if we can set parameters for this. She'll be happy, we won't be waking up to find our kid not in her bed, and hopefully there won't be any non-Kira induced heart attacks in this family."

"And what about the Kira-induced ones?" Ben shot back. She gave him a small glare. "I just don't like it."

"I know you don't. What other option do we have?" Ben rubbed his neck. Liliana recognized that move. He always did it when he was backed into a corner. It was his classic tell. "Yea, that's what I thought. So, are you with me?" He hesitated for a while before answering, but eventually gave her a reluctant nod.

"I guess…but no more spending the night with boys."


	14. Chapter 14

**Author's Note:** Okay! Nevermind, Misa IS coming up sooner than I thought. I literally cannot wait to write the next chapter. I'm so excited.

Thanks to UmiNight Angel Neko, hpfan59, guest, and crawforddarius7 for the reviews! hpfan59 - I'm glad you think my writer's block writing is still good. I'm trying super hard haha.

* * *

 **Chapter 14**

* * *

 _April 26, 2004_

 _Is it lame to write his name in my notebook and cover it with hearts?_

 _I've never felt this way before. Food tastes better, I have more energy, and I can't stop smiling. Is it him or is it the investigation? Am I happy to be with him or am I happy to finally have a purpose in life?_

* * *

Liliana raised her closed fist nervously to the door. It was only the accidental, but audible, bump of her knuckles against the wood that forced her to follow through with her knock far before she had collected herself for the conversation.

"Come in." Eva's voice rang out from behind the frame. Liliana took a deep breath and opened the door, smiling as her daughter came into view. Eva sat up in her bed and rubbed her sleepy eyes.

"I'm sorry, did I wake you?"

"No, I've just been a little groggy from the medication." the young girl explained, motioning to the prescription bottle on the night stand. Liliana walked over and picked it up, reading the side effects carefully as she took a seat next to her daughter. She set the bottle down and winced at the sound of the pills clacking around inside. It was a noise that she should have been used to by now. It was everywhere in their house. She heard it as she walked by Eva's bathroom in the morning. She heard it at the kitchen table before each of their meals. She heard it at night before Eva went to bed. It was a constant reminder of the painful stall that was being forced onto her daughter prior to the inevitable. Liliana forced a smile for Eva and ran her fingers through the girl's black hair.

"Your bangs are getting long. Don't they fall into your eyes?" she asked, tucked a lock behind Eva's ear. Eva shook her head.

"I like them this length. My hair isn't falling out as much with this regimen. I want to enjoy it while it lasts." Eva reached for a lock of wavy hair that rested against her cheek and twisted it around her index finger.

"You have to understand why I worry." The abrupt change in conversation didn't seem to catch either of them off guard. Eva simply nodded in response and Liliana scooted closer to her, pulling herself under the thick teal comforter and wrapping an arm around her daughter's shoulders. Eva rested her head on her mother's chest and smelled her perfume. It was sweet like vanilla. "I'm too old to replace you with another child. I don't think my body can physically handle another pregnancy." Eva let out a small laugh at the joke, eliciting one from Liliana as well. "We're always going to worry about you because you will always be the single most important thing in our lives."

"I know." Eva squeaked out. She closed her eyes, and Liliana noticed a look of acquiescence on the young girl's face that she was deeply uncomfortable with.

"But…I know you'll always continue to hold true to your values and principles." There was little response from Eva. "Which is why…you have our support to work on the Kira case if you would like to." A few moments of silence passed before Eva pulled her head up and stared at her mother with incredulity. A small line appeared between her slightly furrowed brows. Her green eyes squinted a bit with suspicion, and she tilted her head in a display of uncertainty. "There are a few conditions." Liliana assured her, attempting to lend credit to Eva's hesitancy. "Someone has to escort you to and from task force headquarters. You **will** be home at a reasonable hour or giving us constant updates. This can't interfere with your school work." Liliana bit her lip and glanced at Eva's smaller bedroom window. She leaned forward and whispered, "And dad's shutting that window for good because he doesn't want you spending the night with boys.

"But—" Liliana held up her hand to silence Eva.

"Those are our unyielding conditions. If Light wants to spend time with you, he's going to have to use the front door just like the rest of us." Eva thought about the offer for a moment with bated breath. A nod followed her exhale and she bit her lip to hold back a smile.

"Okay." She wrapped her arms around Liliana's stomach and laid her head against her chest. "Thanks, mom."

"For the record, he's a really sweet boy, and I can tell he cares a lot about you."

"He does." Liliana couldn't see Eva's face, but she knew her daughter, and she definitely heard a smile in her voice.

"I won't tell you who you should be with, but if you brought home a boy like Light, I definitely wouldn't be opposed."

"What about dad?" Eva questioned with a giggle.

"Your dad will be opposed to everyone with a functioning reproductive system. Bring home a cat. I'm sure he'll be okay with that." The girls exchanged a few laughs before Liliana stood up. "If I'm not mistaken, L asked the task force to gather at noon. If you're interested, I can drop you off." Eva smiled at the offer and slowly pulled the covers off herself.

"Actually…if it's okay with you, I'd like to go with Light." Liliana nodded, trying to hold back a smile, afraid it would spark a moment of teenage rebellion and push Eva away from Light.

"Of course, it is."

* * *

"So, how much trouble am I in with your dad?" Light whispered to Eva as they sorted through documents. She shook her head and laughed.

"Well, he's permanently shutting my window, so here's hoping there's no fire in my room by the balcony and the door at the same time." she explained.

"Are you serious?" Light groaned. He tossed down the stack of paperwork on the desk and leaned back in the sofa chair, locking his fingers behind his head.

"That was the exchange for letting me come back here." Eva replied, picking up the neglected stack and going over it. She raised an eyebrow and attempted to ask a question, only to be cut off by a beeping in the distance. Catching the attention of all task force members, they turned to L's laptop. A capital Cloister Black font 'W' appeared on the screen against a white background: Watari's symbol.

"Ryuzaki, we have a reply from the second Kira." Watari said. Murmurs filled the room.

"This soon?" Eva whispered to Light. He kept his attention laser focused on the screen, as if he hadn't even heard her.

"I'll be bringing over the envelopes and tapes that we received, but in the meantime, I'm streaming a copy of the video so you can view it on your end." Watari continued. His symbol suddenly disappeared, replaced by the crude 'Kira' lettering. The members gathered around L, who had taken a seat directly in front of the laptop.

"Kira, thank you for your reply. Please do not worry. I will follow orders and do as you say." the scrambled voice said. Eva frowned at the idea. There was something unsettling about it. She wanted to criticize it, but something kept her from it. "I really want to meet you. I don't think you have the eyes, but you don't have to worry. I would never try to kill you. That's a promise."

"Eyes?" Eva mumbled under her breath. She suddenly felt Light tense behind her and turned to look up at him. His face was pale. His eyes were twitching nervously. His jaw was tight and clenched.

"What's this having the eyes supposed to mean? Is it a code?" Aizawa asked.

"Yea…." Matsuda agreed. Eva bit her lip and held back her input for the moment. She glanced at Light again. A single drop of sweat slid down the side of his face. _It must be bizarre for him—watching someone act so irrationally. Stuff like this has always confounded him._ It was a flimsy rationalization, one that served no other purpose than to relieve Eva of any discomfort she felt at that moment. _Would you hate me if I was Kira?_ Eva pushed away the intrusive thought of that day at the coffee shop. Why would he ask her that? _It was just a joke..._ She repeated the line to herself over and over again until the words began to blend together and lose meaning.

"Please tell me how I can meet you without the police knowing. You'll think of something. And when we meet, we can confirm our identities by showing our gods of death to each other." the second Kira continued, pulling Eva from the abyss of her own mind.

"Gods of death?" Aizawa and Matsuda said in unison. A gasp left L's lips and he held up his arms, letting out a dramatic cry before toppling over and taking the sturdy sofa chair with him.

"Ryuzaki!" Eva yelled out, wincing at the sound of his body hitting the floor. She ran over and knelt down next to him. "Are you okay?" He sat up before she could do much more than place her hand on his back.

"Gods of death?!" L scoffed, still in a state of shaken distress. "Am I supposed to believe that? That gods of death actually exist?"

"I don't think that's what they mean…." Eva offered meekly.

"Of course, gods of death don't exist." Light asserted far more boldly. "Listen to yourself." L slowly turned. He moved his eyes from Eva to Light.

"You're probably right." he agreed. "But I remember Kira had those prisoners write something suggesting the existence of gods of death."

"Based on that fact, could we be dealing with the same person? That would definitely explain why we're hearing the same words." Soichiro mused.

"I don't think so." Light cut in. "If this was the same person, why would he respond to our tape? Why would he let L live after going through all that trouble to get him to appear on TV? The real Kira wants him dead." L pinched the bridge of his noise in either thought or frustration, Eva couldn't quite tell. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

"Horse." she whispered to herself.

"What?" L asked, turning back toward her. She opened her eyes wide and stared at him, a bit embarrassed that he had heard her. "What did you say?"

"Um…horse." Eva repeated. "Like…if you hear hoof beats, think horse, not zebra." She turned her doe eyes to Light who was watching her intently. "Eyes, gods of death…it could all just be coincidence. We think the original Kira needs a name and a face to kill, but this one seems to just need a face. Maybe the eyes refer to this differentiation in power? Maybe the copycat doesn't know that the police have already put that together. Gods of death…this could just be referring to their ability to kill. This is how they'll prove it to each other." Eva finally said. She internally cringed at the sound of her own voice. Everything she said sounded so much better in her head—so much more reasonable. As soon as it was out in the world for others to evaluate, it seemed to lose all credibility. L stared at her for a moment and hummed in response. He stood up, and she quickly hopped to her feet as well. L shoved one hand into his pant pocket and leaned down to pick up the sofa chair with the other. He easily tipped it back upright, and Eva was secretly, though most likely outwardly obviously, impressed with his strength.

"It's as Light says, if the two Kiras were really just one, or if they were even connected, I don't think the impostor would give up on his plan to kill me so easily. All of this suggests to me that the copycat has his own agenda and is independently of the original. His true motivation is to meet Kira." L bit his thumb in thought and a smirk suddenly appeared at the corners of his mouth. He turned his grey eyes to Eva. "Horse, huh? I think you're right. Based on the evidence, we can only assume that the phrase 'gods of death' has some meaning that only the first Kira and the second Kira will know."

"So, will you respond and force him to be more specific?" Light quickly inquired.

"No, for now on it's best if we leave it up to the two Kiras." L replied.

"What do you mean?" Aizawa asked.

"I imagine the second Kira is probably quite satisfied now that he's received a televised response. He sent a message to get Kira's attention, and as far as he knows, he now has it. Also, there's that phrase he used that only the two of them would understand. We'll arrange to have this reply broadcast today on Sakura's six-o'clock news. Now, naturally, this will be of interest to Kira, and he'll be following this exchange between the copycat and the one we've invented." L took in a deep breath and began mumbling in a lower tone, as if he were simply thinking out loud rather than conducting an investigation debriefing. "If I were Kira, my priority would be to prevent this imposter from coming into contact with the police. This is good for us because it means the real Kira will feel pressured to respond this time."

"Okay, so let's say he doesn't respond." Aizawa rebutted. "Then what do we do?" L began to tap his index finger against his bent knee. He took another deep breath before responding, his voice still hovering barely above a whisper.

"Yes, I've been thinking about what the second Kira might do if he gets no response. For one, he may reveal more information that he knows Kira wants kept secret to pressure him into a meeting. Of course, that would make Kira nervous. It could be interesting. Though, what would be more interesting is if Kira send a message of his own to prevent this from happening. Ideally, this could provide us with the physical evidence we need to build a case against him. In the meantime, let's gather all of the information we can against this copycat." It was all the direction Eva needed. She quickly grabbed a laptop and began to work diligently. It wasn't until Light had covered her eyes that she snapped out of her trance.

"Hey, are you listening to me?" she heard him ask. She laughed and placed both of her hands on his, pulling them down from her eyes.

"Sorry, I was so focused. What's up?" She tilted her head back to look up at Light and he smiled down at her.

"Are you ready to go home?" Eva glanced at the time on the laptop. Was it really almost ten? Already? She thought for a moment before throwing her head back again to meet Light's gaze.

"I'm going to have my mom pick me up. I want to finish this last bit of research." Eva smiled and Light's worry line above his nose reappeared.

"Don't push yourself so hard." he scolded.

"I know." She took the criticism with a smile, knowing it was coming from a place of love.

"Call me if you need someone to take you home. I'll come back." Light offered. He waited for Eva to nod before finally pulling his hands away from hers and resting them on her head. "Good night."

"Night!" Eva returned to her research, periodically looking up to see L knee-deep in his own end of the investigation. She didn't mean for it to turn into a competition, but suddenly, she needed to keep up with him. He showed no signs of tiring, and though her eyelids felt heavy, Eva didn't want to show any signs of tiring either.

* * *

L stood with his hands in his pockets and stared down at the young, sleeping girl on his couch. He raised an eyebrow at the open spreadsheets and browsers on her laptop. At least she had the good sense to save and bookmark everything. He hit the save button once more, just to be safe, before pushing down the screen of the computer. He shuffled to his room and pulled the blanket off his bed, dragging it back to the couch and covering the shivering girl with it. He saw her face immediately relax and her breathing became a little less labored. L had every intention to return to his insomniac data binge when he felt the guilty poke of a cellphone against his hand as he inserted it back onto his pocket. He pulled out the device and hit the redial button, holding it up to his ear by the top.

"Hello? Liliana?" he asked the groggy voice on the other end. "Yes, Eva's here. She's asleep. I can wake her and have Watari take her home." L moved across the room and onto the couch in front of his laptop, taking his usual crouching position.

"How long has she been asleep?" Liliana asked. L glanced over his shoulder and looked at the girl again.

"A few hours."

"Can you let her sleep? She's been having a really hard time staying asleep lately. Just let me know when she's awake and I'll come get her."

"Sure."

"Thanks, L." L flipped the phone shut, immediately jumping at the loudness of it and turning back to the girl to make sure it hadn't woken her. He felt a little guilty when he noticed her shift under the sheets and push herself up onto one elbow.

"You're awake." L remarked.

"Yea…I'm sorry. I didn't mean to—I should go—my parents." Her incoherent ramblings amused L, only slightly more than her haphazard attempt to slip on her shoes in a half-awake fog.

"I spoke to your mother already. You're welcome to stay the night. But the bed is probably more comfortable than the couch. You'll ruin your neck sleeping like that, you know?" L turned back to his research, satisfied with the accommodations that he had provided, when her voice, gentle like a spring breeze through wind chimes, sent a tingle throughout his body.

"Aren't you going to sleep?"

"I have a few more things to look at." L reasoned away her concern. He didn't hear her protest, but he was surprised to hear the shuffle of her blankets come closer and closer. He peeked over his shoulder again and she joined him on the couch, blanket, laptop, and all. Her eyes could barely stay open, and L knew she wanted to go to sleep, but instead she sat next to him and began clicking through her browsers. "You don't have to stay up for my sake."

"I'm not." she protested through a heavy yawn. "I just found some things on gods of death."

"O?" L asked, smirking at how her eyes were beginning to close more and more with every word.

"According to Japanese mythology, if you see a god of death at the foot of your bed, it isn't your time to die, yet." Another yawn followed. "But if you see one at the head of your bed…." Her sentence stopped and L felt her head land softly against his shoulder. Her breathing evened out, and he dared not move in fear of waking her again. Instead, L just sat there for a moment, neglecting his work, smiling, and enjoying her warmth.


	15. Chapter 15

**Author's Note:** I'm _DEFINITELY_ not supposed to be up this late.

Thanks to Guest, UmiNight Angel Neko, and crawforddarius7 for the reviews! Gah! Tokyo Ghoul is on my watchlist. I just haven't had a chance to get around to it, yet. We'll see once I finally binge watch it one of these days.

* * *

 **Chapter 15**

* * *

 _April 27, 2004_

 _Sometimes I feel like people can see my diagnosis._

 _Light says I'm being paranoid._

* * *

Eva checked the time on her cell phone and groaned.

"O man, twenty minutes late. I'm never going to hear the end of this." she mumbled to herself, rushing to the coffee shop. She was so preoccupied that she failed to notice the blonde girl reaching for the door at the same time as her. It was only when they met with a slight bump that Eva looked up from her phone.

"Hey, watch it!" the girl snarled at her.

"I'm so sorry!" Eva was quick to take the blame. Then something strange happened. The pretty blonde girl's brown eyes lifted from Eva's face to the top of her head and softened from their previously held glare.

"Um…it's…it's fine." the blonde replied with a clearly forced smile. "Go ahead." She reached for the door and held it open for Eva.

"O…thank you." Eva hesitated for a moment, wondering if she should say something more, but the time, or lack thereof, quickly pulled her back to reality. She entered the coffee shop, made her way past the winding booths of early morning patrons, and headed to the second floor to the most secluded booth—Light's favorite booth.

"Twenty minutes? Seriously?" Light asked with a smirk as she dropped her bag in the seat and flopped down.

"I know, I know, I'm sorry!" Eva apologized, holding her hands out on the table and bowing her head. "Please forgive me."

"I'll think about it." Light joked, taking a sip of his plain black coffee—no sugar, no milk. Eva frowned at it, wondering how he could stand to drink something so bitter.

"Do I look exceptionally cancerous today?" she suddenly asked. Light nearly choked on his drink.

"What?"

"Do I look like really bad today?" She lowered her head so that he could see the top of it and began running her fingers through her hair. "Is there like a massive bald spot that I'm not aware of?"

"No, you look fine. Why?" he asked. Eva sighed and leaned back against the seat.

"I just had the weirdest encounter with this girl outside." He raised an eyebrow as she continued her story. "I bumped into her, it was totally my fault, she was really pissed about it at first, then she just looked at me and…I don't know. Everything about her demeanor just changed. She held the door open for me, and it was just weird. So, I thought maybe it was super obvious to her." Light took a deep breath, digesting the words. He leaned back against his bench and brought his hand up to his chin, holding it in deep thought.

"Maybe she thought you were pretty and was into you?" he offered with a smile.

"Ha! Yea, right." Eva quickly dismissed the idea. "This girl was like super model pretty. There's no way."

"Don't sell yourself short." Light replied flirtatiously. She blushed at the sudden show of affection.

* * *

 _May 11, 2004_

 _I wonder if my diary will be found and heavily criticized by someone someday._

 _Am I being too harsh? Maybe mine doesn't sound as genuine as I think it does._

* * *

Light entered the hotel room, his nose twitching in dissatisfaction when he noticed Eva engrossed in her laptop.

"Did you spend the night, again?" he asked, not bothering with polite conversation. He frowned at the sight of her in her pajamas. Until recently, he had been the only man to see her wrapped in the comfort of those clothes. It bothered him greatly to think of how L had seen her. Sure, she was in a full sleeve shirt and long pants now, but had he seen her just before she falls asleep? Had he watched her strip down to her underwear and slip in between the sheets? Had he seen the way the thin strap of her tank top always fell from her narrow shoulders? Had he traced the outline of her body without the protection of a bra?

"Huh?" Eva finally asked, looking up from her computer. "Sorry, what did you say?" Light's frown deepened, especially when he heard Ryuk chuckling behind him. He couldn't tolerate that mocking laughter.

"I haven't seen you in a while. Why are you spending so much time here?" he asked, trying to control his temper.

"O, I just—"

"Light." Soichiro cut the conversation short, holding out a piece of paper. Light grabbed it from his father's hands. "This is the journal page we received." He let out a frustrated huff and began reading it.

"2003? These entries are from a year ago." Light mumbled.

"Please look at the entry he made on the 30th." L instructed with his back still to Light. Light glared at him. It was such an arrogant demand. So filled with self-importance. His eyes returned to the page. ' _May 30th - Confirmed our gods of death at the Tokyo Dome'. This probably means that he plans to do this on May 30th. If this was aired on TV, his intentions would be obvious to anyone who sees it._ Another dry laugh from Ryuk reminded Light of another fact. _Besides, he can't see my god of death unless he touches my notebook. How is he planning on doing that?_ Another line of text caught his eye. _'May 22nd – My friend and I showed off our notebooks in Aoyama.' If by notebooks he's referring to the Death Note, that's something that could only be understood by me. And as for the police, they'll be distracted by the May 30th entry. It must have been intended for them. I'm almost positive that the real message in this diary is regarding Aoyama. But if that's the case—_

"What do we think? Is it real?" L asked, shuffling out of his seat and into the center of the room. Eva scoffed at the question.

"This is the most disingenuous thing I've ever seen in my entire life." she asserted quite boldly. It was so out of character for her.

"How so?" L pushed.

"As someone who keeps a diary, I've never felt the inclination to record any of this stuff." Eva stood from the sofa, setting the laptop down on the coffee table in front of her, and walked over to Light. She gently grabbed the page out of his hand and began reading through the entries, her eyebrows twisting in skepticism and mistrust. "I mean, I stayed home sick practically all of senior year and had Light take notes for me. I don't think I ever once wrote it down like this guy did. He also has entries about lending a CD to a friend, cheating for a paper, and buying summer clothes. There's literally one entry in here that says he has nothing to do at home. Are these noteworthy things that you have to write about and get off your chest?" Eva looked up at the two boys who stared back at her. "This is clearly a way to disguise a meeting point and nothing more. I would keep my eyes on every location mentioned here." Light tried to keep his eyes from narrowing in anger. Though his concern for Eva working on the Kira investigation arose primarily out of care for her health, her propensity for investigative work had always been a point of consideration. She was smart and driven, there was no question about that, and that could be a real problem for him.

"I agree." L quickly mentioned, turning to Light for his opinion. Light took a deep breath and closed his eyes. _I have to be careful._

"At this point in time…all I can say for sure is that he must be stupid." Light grumbled.

"Yea, I agree." Matsuda quickly chimed in. "I mean, it's completely obvious that he wants to meet Kira at the home game." he said with a confident shrug of his shoulders.

"Do you think so?" Eva asked with an amused smirk.

"Yea—it says right here." Matsuda walked over and pointed at the May 30th entry. "'Confirmed our gods of death.'" he quoted.

"Isn't that a bit obvious?" Eva never took her eyes off Matsuda. "I mean, this is going to be made public. He said he wanted to prove his powers to Kira by showing his god of death in the previous tape. Why go through the trouble of putting it in a journal if you're going to state it outright? I think it's more likely to be the other two locations." _Dammit._

"Yes, I also thought that was strange—so stupid in fact, that I was sure how to deal with the whole situation." L mumbled with a mouth full of chocolate. He hobbled back to the sofa and took his usual crouching position, humming in thought. "I say we play along. Make the diary public, along with an announcement cancelling the game. At the same time, we'll announce that on May 30th we're going to set up checkpoints on all roads leading to the Tokyo Dome. Finally, we'll send a response from our invented Kira." L picked up a cup of tea, giving it a quick sniff before pulling it to his lips. "Something like 'I understand and I agree to meet you there.'"

"Ryuzaki, you don't honestly expect him to go there if we set up checkpoints around the dome, do you?" Soichiro asked, taking a seat next to him on the couch.

"I don't think Kira would even consider it." L started.

"But the other one might." Eva finished his sentence, deep in thought.

"It all depends on how stupid he really is." L added with a smirk. He pulled the piece of paper out of Eva's hand and held it out in front of his face. "However, assuming he's not actually the idiot we think he is, there could be another message hidden in this diary. One that's not so obvious." L's eyes darted over the words again. "We'll monitor all three locations. Let's keep an eye out for people with notebooks in Aoyama and people in clothing stores in Shibuya." Light grimaced at the idea. _It's as I thought. If this fake Kira slips up and gets apprehended, at the very least I have to obtain his notebook. And in the worst case, I may have to kill everyone there._

"I can do surveillance in Aoyama!" Eva quickly offered, as if she could read his mind.

"Absolutely not." Light quickly made the decision for the task force, even if it wasn't his to make.

"But—" She turned her green, doe eyes on L.

"I'm afraid not." L agreed. "Part of the terms of your ability to work on this investigation: no field work. It's too dangerous."

"But what should I—"

"I'll need your help here. There will be plenty to do." L offered with a smile. Eva returned the sentiment, and Light suddenly felt sick. Leaving her alone with L—while everyone else was out of the hotel room—left him with a deep pit in his stomach. The feeling lasted through the rest of the night, even after he had dropped Eva off at her house and entered the comfort of his own.

"I'm home." Light called out in a trained, robotic manner.

"You're home quite late today!"

"Yea, I was hanging out with my girlfriend." Light meant for it to be a sarcastic joke, one that was totally missed by the present members of his family.

"What?!" he heard his sister yell from the other room. "Light?! You have a girlfriend now?!" she asked excitedly as she ran out into the hallway, still holding her bag of chips. "Who is it?! Is it Eva?!"

"Is it that surprising?" Light asked with a small laugh. He decided to go along with the point of conversation as he headed up the stairs to his room. "I'm in university now. Of course, I have a girlfriend. You should look for a boyfriend, Sayu."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sayu asked with a pout.

"Aren't you at least going to have any dinner?" his mother called up the stairs behind him. Light thought for a moment. A mischievous smirk came over his lips.

"No, I'm still full from the room service at the hotel." He heard Sayu gasp in response before he shut and locked his door. Light took a deep breath and threw his coat on the bed. _That won't be a lie pretty soon._ He dug his cellphone out of his pocket and absentmindedly began scrolling through his contacts, trying to figure out what to say. _Coffee tomorrow?_ It was a good enough opening line. One that immediately answered with a smiley face and affirmation of the plan. _I'll ask her tomorrow. For now, I need to take care of this fake Kira._ "Okay, Ryuk. We need to talk."

"Gah. I figured." Ryuk grumbled behind him.

* * *

 _May 12, 2004_

 _I remember mom told me this story about a blue dress she wanted to buy for her high school prom. She really loved how it looked, but she knew it would get her into trouble, and get her kicked out of prom. I guess the neckline was pretty low. So, she decided to buy a red dress that she loved a little bit less—one that was more appropriate. She had such a great time at her prom and so much fun that she totally forgot about the blue dress. She says she doesn't regret that decision a day in her life because that red dress brought her so much happiness._

 _Maybe I haven't been going about this the right way._

* * *

"Hey!" Eva exclaimed, totally out of breath as she flopped down into the booth of the coffee shop. "I'm only five minutes late!"

"I never thought I'd see the day." Light replied with a smile. "I'm proud of you."

"You know what I always say, Yagami." She paused, her cocky smile suddenly faded, and she bit her lip in thought, furrowing her brows a bit.

"What?" Light asked, shaking his head in anticipation of the rest of the sentence.

"I—I completely forgot." she whispered, somewhat stunned by the events. "This must be the chemo-brain my doctor warned me about."

"What? You just forget things?"

"Kind of." Eva began to explain. "Apparently it can affect your concentration or cause forgetfulness."

"But you forgot something you always say." Light pointed out with an amused laugh.

"I'm blaming it on the chemo." Eva countered, reaching over to take a sip of his coffee. She scrunched up her face and shuddered as the warm liquid made its way past her tongue and down her throat. "Yuck."

"Did you forget I don't use sugar or milk?"

"Nope, just have to test it every time to make sure I'm not crazy and plain coffee really is disgusting."

"What's the verdict?" Eva paused and tapped her chin as if she were deeply contemplating the issue—as if this would be the legal precedence set for all cases concerning coffee henceforth.

"Still disgusting." she finally decided with a quirky smile. Light couldn't help to admire the soft dimples in her cheeks that only appeared with that particular smile. He had missed them. He took a sip of his plain, black, 'disgusting' coffee and cleared his throat. He motioned over a waiter.

"Medium strawberry shake, please." he ordered with a polite smile.

"Wow! You know me so well." Eva joked, propping her elbows up on the table and leaning forward with her face cupped in her hands.

"Almost five years." Light reminded her. "And about…thirty dates now?" Eva laughed at the idea.

"O, were all of those dates? What if I thought they were all platonic encounters?"

"Well, that would just make you a silly person. You don't switch from platonic encounters to one date and back to platonic encounters without a conversation about it." Light explained. Eva giggled and turned her eyes away from him, running a hand nervously through her hair. A pink blush took over her cheeks as she bit her lip.

"Okay, well, if you know me so well, how come you only ordered a medium strawberry shake? You should know I want a large."

"Yes, of course, I did. I also remember the last two times you got a large strawberry shake: the first time you didn't finish it, and the second time you drank it all so fast that your stomach hurt for a whole day…then you threw up on me at night." Eva cringed at the memory. It was still so embarrassing.

"Can I blame that on the chemo, too?"

"Afraid not." Light replied with a smile. It slowly fell off his face, and Eva carefully observed the faraway look of concentration that he now held. He reached over the table and gently grabbed her hand in his, keeping his eyes on their intertwining fingers. "Actually, I wanted to ask you something."

"What?" Eva leaned forward, trying to catch his gaze. Light finally lifted it to her. She reassured him with a smile, recognizing the nervous tensing of his neck. "You can ask me anything, Light."

"I can't see myself with anyone else, Eva." Her lips parted in surprise and the world slowed down. Light Yagami couldn't see himself with anyone else? It seemed like a ridiculous proposition at best. Eva had spent the last five years getting to know this amazing man that she was sure would end up with just as amazing a woman. She never considered herself to be in that category—not even close. She was just Light's friend—best friend, even. Despite everything they had been through, she had never even considered the possibility of being in an exclusive relationship with Light. She wasn't quite sure why. The date, the kiss, his flirting, it had all been rationalized in her head in one way or the other. Light was just a nice guy, and nice guys do stuff like that for their friends…right? She was likely going to die without ever experiencing those things, and Light wanted to give that to her. That's all…right?

"What do you mean?" Eva finally squeaked out. Her lips and throat felt so dry all of the sudden. If Light weren't holding her hand, she would have gulped down the rest of his disgusting, bitter coffee.

"I don't want to be with anyone else but you." he clarified.

"You don't have to do this for me, Light. I'm okay if I die without a relationship. It won't—"

"It's not for you." he quickly cut in, giving her hand a squeeze. "I love you, Eva." He leaned back and took a deep breath, closing his eyes to calm himself. "I know it's a lot to process. You don't have to make a decision right now. I just wanted you to know what I want…."

"Okay…." Eva peeped, her mouth still hanging open, her eyes still wide and staring at Light.

"C'mon, let's get your shake to go. We have to get to class." Eva nodded and stood up, still holding his hand and following him like an obedient child. For as long as she had known him, Light was her comfort. She would follow him to the ends of the earth, and as long as she was in his arms, she felt safe and happy. Eva gently placed her hand on her stomach as they walked and tears began to well up in her eyes. She wasn't sure why it was so upsetting. It was all so hard to digest and break apart. All she knew was that there was an emptiness in her stomach. There were supposed to be butterflies. Her mom had said so.


	16. Chapter 16

**Author's Note:** Yikes! This one is super long and just jam-packed with events. We're finally at the interesting portion, though! Only like...16 chapters later.

Thanks to hpfan59, UmiNight Angel Neko, Joyleaf21, and -279 for the reviews! I'm really glad you guys are enjoying the story and the writing style. I always worry that I'm super off on one or the other. I end every chapter with a smile like "Well...that was garbage. Let's post it anyways, though." I really appreciate your reviews! Seriously, they keep me going. I would totally flop out without your insights and ideas of what you like and don't like.

* * *

 **Chapter 16**

* * *

 _May 13, 2004_

 _I'm glad I told him how much he means to me. How much I appreciate him. If something happened to me…if I died and he thought that I didn't love him—the thought alone is enough to kill me._

* * *

Eva sat at the top of the stairs, hugging her knees and peeking into the living room from between the bars of the stairway railing. The dull flicker of the muted television cast a glow on the furniture. When a particularly bright scene would appear, she could make out her father's facial features. His brows furrowed in distress, his nostrils flared with the sharp inhale of a breath, and then he would swallow the lump in his throat as his lips curled into a frown. It had been thirteen years, and it was still no easier for him. The memory still haunted his nightmares and plagued his sleep with endless tossing and turning. When it would get particularly bad, he would opt to sleep on the couch to avoid disturbing his wife's sleep.

"Eva…." she heard him choke out in his sleep, shifting violently onto his side. His arm moved as if he were standing up and bending down to reach for something—for someone on the ground. Eva stood and made her way down the stairs to him. She hovered over him, the light of the television throwing her shadow across his face, and gently rubbed his arm. His eyes shot open and he took in another sharp breath. "Eva, what are you doing here?" he asked in a groggy voice.

"I just wanted to come see you." Eva whispered back, squeezing herself onto the couch next to him. She laid her head on his arm and closed her eyes. From the moment she was born, her father had always known how to comfort and soothe her. He would scoop her up into his arms whenever she had a scraped knee or a cut. He would make her laugh so hard that she would forget all about the pain as he dressed her wound. Those were probably the most severe of her injuries throughout her childhood. She was a perfectly healthy girl who would occasionally find herself in need of a couple of bandages. Perhaps it was that sheltered comfort that had made that day all the more traumatizing for her father. He had never seen her lips turn blue. He had never seen her gasp for air. He had never seen her eyes roll into the back of her head as she began to choke on her own vomit. Eva didn't remember much of that day, but she had heard that he had done what he always did: scoop her up into his arms and take care of her. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" he asked, pulling strands of hair out of her face and tucking them behind her ear. Eva buried her face in his chest, just as she had when she was little and something scared her. She could always count on her dad to protect her from it.

"For not being more understanding. Everything you've done…I know you've done it out of love. I'm sorry I don't tell you I love you more often. I'm sorry I get so upset." She was sorry for a lot more, but she felt her throat tighten and the familiar warmth of tears rushing to the surface.

"You have nothing to be sorry for. I should be apologizing—" Eva quickly shook her head, catching his attention.

"No. You were just doing what you thought was right. You were trying to take care of me. I love you, dad."

"I love you, too." he replied, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and pulling her into his chest. Her father had always been her hero, so she expected him to as perfect as a hero. She held him to a different standard than anyone else—than even L. It was hypocritical. He was just a man. He was as flawed as anyone else, and she had brought the crushing weight of her unrealistic expectations crashing down on him. It was unfair. She was unfair. Her father was doing his best, and maybe…maybe there was a method to his madness. Maybe there was real value in his process.

"Dad…."

"Hm?"

"How did you know mom was the woman you wanted to be with?" Eva lifted her face just a little, just enough to see way her father nervously swallowed the lump in his throat.

"Honestly? I didn't. I wasn't really the type to commit before I met your mother. Relationships…they all seemed too complicated for me. But every moment I spent with Liliana was incredible. She made me laugh, she shared my interests, and I felt like I could tell her anything—she was my best friend. So, I took a chance, and I'm so happy that I did." he explained. Eva moved back a bit more to look into his eyes.

"So, it's okay not to know?"

"I'd say it's pretty normal not to know." he clarified. "I don't think anyone knows. We all jump in blind." There may not have been a method at all. Maybe it was all just madness. Maybe it was supposed to be. Eva smiled and nodded at her father. Common sense would have told her to leave the cramped couch and head back to her bed for a decent night's sleep, but the drowsiness took over, and the comfort of her childhood began to call her. She closed her eyes and buried her face in her father's shirt again. The subtle lingering of the last bit of cologne on his clothes was security. It was a sweet smell. The same one that would fill her nose when he pushed her on a swing, or caught her coming down the winding plastic slide. The same smell that would fill her lungs when she would cling to his legs as he dropped her off at school, and beg him to take her to work with him instead. It was the same smell that would wear off onto the sleeves of her shirt after he hugged her, lifting her up into his arms and letting her wrap her tiny arms all the way around his neck. It would stay with her through school as she awkwardly schlepped her bag filled with books he had bought for her from class to class. It was the memory of their shared laughter; it was the memory of her tiny hand in his large one; it was the memory of his undying love.

* * *

 _May 14, 2004_

 _Today's the day. I know he's been anxious for an answer. I finally have one for him._

* * *

"Done!" Eva yelled enthusiastically, slamming the cover of her thick law textbook shut. "I win!" she cheered from her sitting position on the bed. Light glanced over at her from his desk. A cocky smile appeared on his lips and a soft exhale left his nose. He held up his book, showing that he was already well into the next chapter. Eva's smile fell and she flopped forward onto the bed with a groan. She lifted her head up and gave Light a glum look. "Man…I really thought I finished that chapter before you this time." Light returned his eyes to the textbook without speaking, and Eva watched his eyes dart back and forth systematically across the page. It was so mesmerizing that she didn't even realize she had been watching him for about twenty pages now. "Are you done yet?" she asked childishly, when the spell finally wore off of her.

"Yea." Light answered, his eyes slowing to a crawl as they finished their marathon toward the bottom of the page. He stuck a book mark into the textbook and shut it, turning toward her. "Ready to be quizzed?"

"Sure."

"What method is commonly used for case analysis?" he began.

"IRAC – Issue, Rule, Analysis, and Conclusion." she answered confidently. "How does tort law differ from criminal law?"

"Both seek to protect from bad acts, but torts aren't necessarily crimes. More commonly, they seek to remedy damages."

"Excellent!" Eva exclaimed.

"What are 'stare decisis' and 'res judicata?'"

"Legal doctrines of 'stand by the decision' in adherence to decided cases, and 'the thing has been decided' to bar re-litigation of the same matter.

"Very good." Light commended.

"What are the theories of jurisprudence?" Eva asked with a smirk, sure that she would trip him up.

"Natural law, positivism, sociological theory, and legal realism." No such luck. "Components of procedural law?" Light asked, similarly trying to gain the advantage on her. She looked up toward the ceiling and tapped her chin in thought.

"Fairness and consistency of rule application." she started, keeping her eyes up and holding out a finger for each component stated. "Voice and representation in the process. Transparency and openness of process. Impartiality and unbiased decision making…and I think you were right and we should give a relationship a shot." She dropped her eyes down to Light, who had been counting along with her on his fingers. He stared at the five digits, his eyes slightly wide with surprise and his mouth just partially agape. He looked over at Eva, unable, and frankly unwilling, to hide the smile that made a prominent appearance across his face.

"I think you might get that one wrong on the test considering there are only four components." he joked, holding up his hand and wiggling all five fingers for her to see. Eva laughed and hid her face behind her hands, trying to conceal her flushed cheeks. Her sudden shyness was cute. Light made his way over to the bed. He carefully maneuvered around notebooks and textbooks, around loose pages and pens, until his forehead was pushed against hers. He slowly pulled down her hands, revealing her unyielding grin. He captured her lips in a gentle kiss that slowly gained momentum until they had kicked books off the covers and found themselves with tangled legs and arms. Eva gasped for breath when Light finally moved his lips away from hers and down to her neck, gently kissing and nipping at the sensitive skin.

"Light, wait!" she breathed out her protest when she felt his hands dipping into the sides of her shorts, already inside of her underwear.

"Sorry." Light responded in the quick pause between his kisses, but made no effort to move his hands until she forcibly pulled them away. He lifted himself up, hovering over Eva as she ran her fingers through his soft, brown hair.

"I'm just not ready for that yet." she explained, a bit embarrassed by her childish nature. She had felt the urge overcome her many times in the last few years—the urge to be touched, caressed, and taken. But the lack of relationships in her life left her fingers to be the only explorers of her body. The objects of her desire had often been movie stars—people so far from real, so mythical, that she felt no connection to them when the deed was done. The thought of engaging in such an intimate practice with a real person—much less her best friend—was terrifying.

"I understand." Light said with a smile, albeit a slightly disappointed one. He gave her another kiss, and with legs still tangled in hers, he laid down on his side, running his fingers through her black, silky hair. Eva leaned into him, closing her eyes and laying her head against his chest. The beating of his heart soothed her. She wasn't sure if this was the right decision, but maybe that was okay.

"My mom is going to be so happy." Eva joked, knowing how much her mother had taken a liking to Light.

"…does your dad have a license to carry in Japan? Like as part of the agreement with the US embassy?" Light asked nervously.

"O, definitely." Eva responded with a laugh. She looked up at him and playfully poked his nose with her index finger. "We have four pistols and two shotguns in the safe in our house."

"Great." Light groaned. "Do me a favor, break it to him gently." Eva laughed at his nervousness.

"Don't worry, Light. He loves my mom more than he hates you." She closed her eyes and hugged him again. "She would probably be pretty upset if he shot you. So, I think you're safe…for now."

"Comforting."

* * *

 _May 25, 2004_

 _I feel so stupid._

* * *

"Do we have the debriefing of the fieldwork?" L asked as soon as the task force members had taken their seats at the table. Impatience was quickly beginning to take hold of him during the course of this investigation.

"So, we were there both days." Aizawa took the initiative, reviewing his notes of the events. "Aoyama on the twenty-second and Shibuya on the twenty-fourth. We observed nothing of significance on either occasion. That leaves us with only the dome on the thirtieth."

"I really thought it was Aoyama…." Eva mumbled to herself, a look of clear disappointment present on her face. The alert on L's laptop left her little time for sulking.

"Ryuzaki, apparently Sakura TV has just received another message from the second Kira. It was postmarked on the twenty-third." Watari's voice came through the speakers of the laptop. The task force leaned in, eager to receive the message. The 'Kira" lettering appeared once again, sending a wave of anxiety through everyone's body. L held back a smirk. _The twenty-third? It looks like Eva's instincts were right._

"I'm happy to say that I have found Kira. To all the people of the television station and the police department, I'd like to thank you for your cooperation." the second Kira said. _The only ones from the task force who went to Aoyama were Matsuda and Light. Is Light really Kira after all? Still…there's no proof it even happened in Aoyama._

"This is a disaster if he found him!" Aizawa exclaimed. Soichiro gave a begrudging mumble of agreement.

"At this point I don't think we should jump to any conclusions." L was quick to stop the train before it went too far off the tracks. "The second Kira is saying that he found the first, nothing more." He picked up his tea and began to stir. "He may not have made contact yet." L turned his gaze directly to Light, watching closely for a reaction. When he offered none, he decided to move on with a sip of his tea. "Now that it's come to this, we have no choice but to communicate as the police with the second Kira."

"You want to send a message?" Matsuda asked.

"Yes. The police need to reach out to the copycat and offer him a deal. We need to negotiate with him to see if we can get Kira's real name." L explained. He turned his eyes to Eva. "Can you draft a message to be aired on tonight's news?"

"Yea, of course. I'll work on it right now." Eva responded enthusiastically, running back to her laptop and furiously clicking away at the keyboard.

"Then it's settled. I'll see everyone back here for the next meeting. Please finish up your assignments and head home." L concluded.

* * *

L watched Eva's eyelids grow heavier and heavier by the second. Her body began to lose its posture, and then it finally happened: her hand, which was the only thing holding up her tired head, buckled under the pressure of her drowsiness and gave way, sending her chin plummeting down to the desk. Her teeth bit into the soft skin of her bottom lip, breaking it and allowing a few drops of blood to escape.

"Ah!" Eva gasped, pulling her hands to her mouth and covering it as tears began to sting her eyes.

"Alright." L muttered, deciding to put an end to her nonsense. He picked up an empty glass, carrying it over to the fridge and filling it with ice. He walked over to the girl and gently pulled on her arm, cueing her to expose the injury to him. Eva obliged, wincing a bit when he pushed an ice cube against the cut. "You need to go home and get some sleep. You've stayed late every night for the past week." She formulated a response while trying to keep her bottom lip still, resulting in a mish mash of syllables that L did not understand and couldn't be bothered to decipher. "What?" he asked, pulling the ice cube away and replacing it with a napkin to catch the mix of water and blood.

"Everyone else has been working so hard…. I can't even do field work. I have to make up for my lack of contributions somehow." she explained again. "Besides, the task force only left fifteen minutes ago. I haven't even stayed that late today."

"Your contributions won't be of much help if you're too exhausted to put the pieces of the puzzle together." L reprimanded her. She looked down at her feet, kicking them slightly, like a child being scolded by the teacher. L put a hand on her head affectionately. "You did a good job today, Eva. Especially with police's message to Kira. Go home. Get some sleep. Come back tomorrow when you're well rested." It was odd to watch this girl awkwardly put on her coat while keeping the napkin against her swollen bottom lip. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes between every few motions, and blinked several times to regain consistency in her vision. L knew she was trying to keep up with him. It was a stupid mistake—one that he had every intention of correcting whenever it may come across his line of sight. Despite her constant reaffirmations of her admiration for him, L wanted Eva to be nothing like him. She had the potential to be happy, truly happy, in her life. As selfish as it was, and perhaps as bad a person as it would make him in Eva's eyes, L would have traded any impact he had made on the world for a ten percent chance at true, unadulterated happiness.

* * *

"Thanks, Watari!" Eva whispered from the back seat of the limo before opening the door. The old man smiled at her from the driver's seat. He wasn't much for talking, but Eva didn't mind. She enjoyed the comfortable silence of their car rides home. She slipped out of the limo and into her house, yawning as she made her way up the stairs, slowly stripping from her clothes. She didn't even bother to turn on the light in her room as she changed into her pajamas. Instead, she went straight to her window, pulled back the curtains, and tried to lift it. When the window refused to move, she frowned and tried again with a bit more pressure. She groaned when she noticed the two, long nails that had been driven through the window, straight into the sill. "That's right…." she mumbled to herself, remembering the deal with her parents.

When she had just about resigned herself to sleeping in her own bed, she noticed movement out of the corner of her eye. Eva felt slightly guilty, but she lowered herself down to her knees, putting herself at face level with the opening at the bottom of Light's curtains. _Who is she?_ Eva felt a shooting pain arise from underneath the back of her ribcage, up through the front, right through her heart, and into her throat. It elicited a soft moan from her lips. Who was this blonde girl in the skimpy black dress that Light was holding so affectionately? What was he whispering in her ear? Eva turned away from the scene. She felt like she was going to throw up. Her body felt weak. With her hand still clinging to the window sill, she doubled over, taking deep breaths to quell the pain in her body. _Calm down. It might not be what it looks like. Just relax. Horse, not Zebra._ Eva took one more deep breath before peeking over the sill again. Light's hands lingered on the blonde's shoulders. The girl took a seat in his chair, and Light hovered over her, leaning in to talk to her again…or maybe. No, it was too much for her to bear. Eva grabbed the curtains, forcing them shut and walked back until her knees were caught by her bed.

The pain never went away, and Eva hugged her knees to her chest. All of the fatigue from earlier was gone, replaced by a seemingly endless supply of anxiety and sorrow. Her head hurt. Her jaw hurt. Her whole body hurt. She stood and made her way downstairs to the kitchen, randomly opening cupboards and cabinets just to have something to keep her hands preoccupied. She began cleaning—an urge that had never settled on her before. She washed dishes, wiped counters, swept the hardwood floors, and rubbed smudges out of the glass panes until a voice disturbed her.

"Eva? Why are you up cleaning? It's midnight…." Liliana asked, her eyes still narrowed and adjusting to the bright light of the kitchen. Eva stared at her mother for a minute. The tears began to rise to the surface again, and this time Eva didn't stop them. She dropped the small white towel and the bottle of cleaning spray, and ran into the comfort of her mother's arms, letting the sobs come freely.

* * *

 _May 28, 2004_

 _I haven't talked to him in almost three days. I haven't been answering his calls or texts. I skipped the morning class we have together. I saw him waiting for me outside of my second class yesterday. I don't feel good about it, but I told the professor I was feeling really light-headed and asked him to stay with me for a few minutes while I collected myself. I knew Light had another class in ten minutes. I was just trying to wait him out. It worked._

 _I heard a rumor today that he was dating some girl named Kiyomi Takada. She's apparently well known for something, but I don't have the energy to care or find out._

 _I really thought he loved me._

 _I just need to avoid him long enough for dad to pick me up, and hopefully I can make it through tonight's task force meeting. I skipped the last one. L said he would fill me in…but I knew he could tell something was up. I can't keep skipping these meetings. I have to face this head on._

 _I really don't want to, though. I want—_

* * *

"Hi, Eva." The sudden greeting made Eva jump, causing the pen in her hand to slide in mid-sentence as she wrote in her journal. She looked up at the figure, gently sucking on her still bruised lip in apprehension. A soft laugh left her throat when she saw his wild black hair and grey eyes. She shut her journal and smiled at him.

"Ryu—Hideki!" Eva caught herself on the slip of pseudonyms. "What are you doing here?" She watched him slip his feet out of his tennis shoes and take his signature position on the bench next to her.

"I just came to check up on you." he replied, staring up at the clouds. He raised his thumb to his lips and began biting the skin around the nail out of habit. "I was worried." he admitted.

"Why is that?" Eva asked, her full attention on him.

"I figured if you missed a meeting it must have been something really serious." he reasoned. It made her feel incredibly guilty.

"No…it was actually something incredibly dumb." Eva admitted, turning her eyes away from him in shame.

"Are you alright?" It was an odd question to answer. Eva didn't feel alright, and thinking about the events brought all of those horrible feelings bubbling to the surface in an uncontrollable manner. She pushed the thoughts away and nodded.

"Yea…I just…I was avoiding Light."

"How come?" She didn't see an end to L's interrogation anytime soon, so she decided to come clean.

"A while ago…Light asked me to be in a relationship with him. I thought it was something he really wanted…but now I think he was just asking for my benefit." She shook her head, trying to hide the tears. "Anyways, I agreed, but just a week or so later, I saw him with another girl and then I heard rumors that he was dating **another** girl, and I just…I don't know. I don't know how to talk to him about any of this. I kind of don't even want to. I haven't even sent him a text for almost three days now."

"I see." L mumbled.

"But, that's not something you have to worry about." Eva quickly added, turning back to L. "I'll be at every meeting from this point on, and I'll figure out a way to deal with it. I swear, it won't impact my performance at all." L chuckled at her. It was a confusing reaction to her defensive tirade.

"I have no doubt that you will. It's a shame."

"What is?" Eva asked.

"You deserve someone who makes you feel special—as you should. You're an amazing woman, Eva." he replied with a cute smile. Eva placed her hand on her stomach. It felt like the tiny flutters of a thousand butterfly wings. There was no emptiness. The buzz of her cellphone pulled her out of the trance. She checked the text and turned back to L, her eyes growing wide at the scene behind him.

"I-I have to go." she quickly stuttered. "My dad's waiting for me." She scooped up her things and began to speed walk away. It was an unfortunate end to the most pleasant conversation Eva had had all week. It really was a shame.

* * *

L watched the young girl scurry away, and turned his head in the opposite direction. _So, that's what she was running from._ L smirked and slipped his feet back into his tennis shoes, watching Light Yagami make his way through a crowd of students as he chatted with a girl. Their eyes met, and Light paused, clearly distraught by L's presence.

"Hey, Light!" L called out cheerfully, even if recent events had caused the name to leave a bad taste in his mouth. "How's it going?" L's smile fell almost immediately as thought about the pained look on Eva's face. Light didn't answer. Instead, he turned to the girl at his side.

"Kiyomi, can we continue this later? I need a moment alone with him." Light asked her.

"Okay…." the girl, Kiyomi, replied hesitantly. She tucked a lock of her short black hair behind her ear and shot a forced smile toward L before walking away.

"Is that your girlfriend?" L goaded as Light approached him. "I hope she's not upset."

"Never mind that." Light shot back in a harsh whisper. "Is it okay for you to be out here like this? Didn't you say you were afraid to appear in public?"

"I decided to brave it for Eva. We haven't had a chance to chat casually for a while now. It was nice to catch up. She's really quite amazing, you know?" L could see the compliment get under Light's skin. It must have pissed him off to know that a woman that was so unavailable to him could be reached so easily by L. That was good. The more irrational Light was, the better it was for L. "Besides, as long as you're not Kira, I should be safe. You and Eva are the only ones on the outside who know me as L. In the unlikely event that I die in the upcoming days, I've instructed the task force to assume that you are Kira." L paused for a moment, wondering how he could twist the knife. "Of course…while I have very little doubt that Eva could be Kira, I can't be too careful."

"What? You're going to investigate her, too?" Light glowered. L smirked. It was exactly the reaction he was looking for. Why would it matter if there was no possibility of his death warrant being in the works?

"Like I said, I can't be too careful." L mocked. "Besides, I thought you said you missed having me around. I thought I'd come back for a change of pace. As long as it doesn't kill me, college can be a lot of fun."

"I will admit, without you around, intelligent conversation has been hard to find." Light replied with a sarcastic smile.

"Luckily Kiyomi is there to fill that void." L retorted in just as sarcastic a manner.

"Something like that." Light grumbled.

"Hey, do you want to have some cake with me in the cafeteria?" L asked, standing up from the bench.

"Sure, I have a break right now anyways." Light replied, following him down the quad.

"Light, there you are!" a bubbly voice called out. L stopped in his tracks and turned to the blonde woman who had run up to approach them. "I had a photoshoot nearby, so I thought I'd come to see you!" She turned her eyes to L. "O, this must be a friend of yours! You look so…different." She was straining for a compliment. "Unique." She flipped her blonde hair over her shoulder and gave him a smile. "Hi, there! I'm Light's girlfriend, Misa Amane. It's nice to meet you!"

"I'm Hideki Ryuga." L replied. Watching closely for her reaction.

"Huh?" Misa's eyes widened with surprise, and all of the sudden, she moved her eyes away from his and to the top of his head. "Hideki Ryuga?" An odd quirk, perhaps?

"Yea, he has the exact same name as that famous pop idol!" Light quickly jumped in. "Isn't that strange?" A small laugh escaped L's throat. This was far too easy. He couldn't have planned it any better.

"Light…you're a lucky guy." L said, bringing his index finger up to his lips. "I have been a huge fan of yours ever since the August issue of Eighteen." L played off the information that he had found while investigating. Ordinarily, he would have never concerned himself with such petty details. But she had made a compelling case that day….

* * *

 _"Why are you spending so much time on mythology about gods of death?" L asked, sifting through Eva's stacks of paperwork. She quickly snatched them out of his hands and reorganized them into neat piles._

 _"Because sometimes that's where the important details are hidden." she answered._

 _"Rarely." L rebutted. Eva looked up at him with thoughtful eyes and hummed._

 _"How do you pick your passwords?" she suddenly asked. He raised an eyebrow at her, failing to see the relevance. "I mean, do you use the names of people close to you, pets, towns where you lived?"_

 _"Of course, not." L replied, almost repulsed by the idea. "Any idiot with a computer would be able to guess my password if I were to do that. I use a series of randomly generated numbers and letters over twenty characters in length."_

 _"Exactly." Eva replied with a wink. "Now, most people would agree with you on that first part, but probably don't have the capacity to create the kind of passwords that you're talking about. Instead, they use things from their life that aren't recorded in documents, but are still significant enough to remember—things like their favorite mythology, plot lines or characters from their favorite TV series, stuff like that." she explained._

 _"What does this have to do with the Kira case?" L asked, still perplexed by her line of reasoning._

 _"They do the same thing with codes! If you really want to get into this second Kira's head, you can't neglect the small details."_

* * *

Misa gasped and clapped her hands together in glee.

"Really? That's so sweet of you" she asked, clearly impressed…with the small details.

"Hey is that Misa Misa?" someone called out in the distance. Within moments, a crowd had formed around them and L took the opportunity within the mayhem to slide Misa's cellphone out of her back pocket.

"Hey! Someone just touched my butt!" Misa exclaimed, looking back at him. A sudden rush of adrenaline filled him. Did she know what he was trying to do? He hesitated for a moment, and when she made no attempt to check for her phone, L raised his fist in the air, going along with the implied alternative.

"This is an outrage! Taking advantage of this situation is unforgivable. I will find whoever is responsible." he exclaimed as he made his way around Misa and to Light. She giggled at his feigned outrage.

"O, Ryuga! You're so funny!" The crowd only lasted for a few more minutes until Misa's manager showed up to escort her back to the photoshoot. "Bye, Light! I'll see you after I'm done with work!" Misa yelled from across the quad, blowing kisses toward her 'boyfriend.'

"Well, we should get going." L mumbled to Light, keeping his eyes on the blonde that was fading away into the distance.

"Actually, could you go ahead?" Light asked, earning a suspicious glance from L. "I need to use the bathroom." he explained.

"O, okay then. I'll see you there." L agreed, trying not to smile. He walked past Light, and when he was just a few steps away, the phone in his pocket began to buzz. He lifted it to his face, the smile prominently visible at this point. L flipped it open and held it to his ear. "Yes? Hello?"

"What do you mean hello?" Light's voice echoed from behind him and through the phone. It dripped with venom.

"O, is that you, Light?" L could barely keep his snickering down. "I guess someone must have dropped this phone in all of the commotion early on." he explained innocently. "…uh? Hello?"

"Yea, that's Misa's cell phone. I can give it back to her." L heard his footsteps approaching behind him.

"Ah, I see. Sure, that makes sense." L ended the call and turned, placing the phone in Light's hands. He began to walk away again when his cell began to ring. "O, this time it's actually my cell phone." he mumbled under his breath. "Yes?" This was it: the confirmation of Misa's arrest. L hadn't expected it to be so easy, but he was beyond delighted. He ended the call, being sure to pull back his smirk when he turned to Light. "I'm not exactly sure how you'll take this, but regarding Misa Amane: there's something you should know. We've taken her into custody under suspicion of being the second Kira." The shock on Light's face was clear to see. Was it because he was Kira? Or was it simply because she was his girlfriend? One of many. "We gathered physical evidence from the envelopes that were sent by the second Kira. In particular, we recovered hair and fibers from the masking tape used to conceal them. They matched what we found in Misa's room. There would be a public uproar if it gets out that she's been apprehended as the second Kira. So, officially, we've charged her manager with drug possession and she's a voluntary witness. But I doubt any of this would get out." L waited for a response, but when Light stood there, staring at him like a deer in headlights, he decided to claim his victory. "I suppose we'll have to take a rain check on the cake. I'll see you back at headquarters." L shoved his hands into his jeans and walked off toward his awaiting limo. When he was sure he was out of earshot, he pulled out his cell again and hit the speed dial.

"This can't be good if you're calling me." Liliana said from the other end of the line, opting to skip all greetings.

"I've just apprehended the suspected second Kira. Based on where we are, there is a real possibility that Light is the original Kira. I'm sure he'll be feeling some pressure to act now, and I don't know how desperate he might get." L glanced around once again before continuing. "Eva expressed to me that she was going to talk to Light about their relationship. For right now, I don't think that's a good idea. I need to place her in Watari's care for a while so that she doesn't have any communication with Light."

"Is that really necessary?" Liliana asked.

"It's the only place I can guarantee her safety." L replied. "I wouldn't be asking if I didn't think she was in real danger. I've seen the way he gets about her—he gets emotional and irrational. It could cause him to slip up, but it might cost Eva her life."

"I trust you, L. Just keep her safe."


	17. Chapter 17

**Author's Note:** So, I try really hard to add symbolism to my stories from time to time (like that one chapter where Eva is holding a blue rose in Light's dream and blue roses are supposed to symbolize the unattainable). Sometimes, I like to have fun and add in stuff I'm currently obsessed with. Bath and Body Works has that Watermelon Lemonade scent in stock again. Happy days!

Thanks to UmiNight Angel Neko, Darcus7, JessicaJade, -279, Joyleaf21, DevilToBeLoved, an - for your reviews! I'm super blown away, guys. I really appreciate it and I actually ended up adding another section into this chapter because of your feedback on Light. I swear I'm not blowing smoke when I say your reviews fuel me. They literally do. They literally fueled an extra 1000 words in this chapter. FYI - I'm also super excited about her confrontation with Light. I haven't decided how I want that to go down, yet. I guess we'll see. ;)

* * *

 **Chapter 17**

* * *

 _May 31, 2004_

 _Whenever dad traveled for business he would always bring back a book for me as a souvenir._

 _The first time he went to France he brought back one about a princess locked away in a tall tower guarded by a fire breathing dragon. When she was looking out of the window one day, the princess noticed a knight in shining armour approaching the tower. She tried to warn him about the dangerous dragon, but he said he was there to rescue her. He would slay her dragon and free her from the tower._

 _I never got to find out how it ended. Mom got called away for a business trip, and none of my nannies knew French. I wonder where that book is now…._

 _I remember being jealous of the princess. I mean, how cool would it be to live in a world of dragons and magic and knights who ride to the rescue on their white horses?_

 _Turns out being locked in a tower is pretty boring._

* * *

Eva sat in the bay window of the hotel suite with her forehead pushed up against the glass. She watched the passing cars and people below. They looked like ants from top floor of the hotel. She sighed, fogging up the glass in front of her, and took the opportunity to draw a frowny face into the condensation. It was the perfect emblem for her mood. For almost four days now, she had been sitting in this suite with no phone, no internet, and only occasional visits from Watari to check on her health. She wasn't even allowed to go down to the lobby. She suddenly felt sympathy for all the princesses that had been locked into towers in her storybooks. This was awful. Her journal, a pen, and a few pairs of pajamas were the only items she was able to salvage before being taken to **her** tower. They were her only source of comfort. The familiar jangling of keys in the hotel door interrupted her thoughts, and Eva stood up to greet her visitor. Watari made his way into the room and looked around, as if he were making sure that they were truly alone. Who else would be here? And where would they hide?

"Ryuzaki is ready to see you, now." he stated plainly. Eva nodded and slipped on her shoes. She followed the man down the mirrored hallways in silence until they returned to the familiar suite of the task force headquarters.

"Why was I put in a separate suite?" Eva asked.

"Safety precaution." Watari replied, opening the door for her. She had guessed that much, but she also knew that was probably as specific an answer as she would get from him. She carefully made her way through the dark room, following the light from the TV in front of L. "I'll have the visual up in a few minutes." Watari called from the door before shutting it and leaving them alone in the darkness.

"Visual for what?" she inquired hesitantly, taking a seat next to L on the couch. L didn't turn toward her as he usually did. He didn't offer her any quirky greeting. In fact, it almost seemed like he was trying to keep his face more obscured than usual with his long, shaggy hair. "Ryuzaki?"

"Sorry to drag you out of your house without much explanation. I discovered the identity of the second Kira a few days ago and made the arrest on the twenty-eighth. Light Yagami is now our prime suspect. I will be bringing him in for interrogation in the next few days."

"What does that have to do with—"

"As promised, I'm doing everything in my power to keep you out of harm's way. Light may begin to feel cornered, and considering the tumultuous state of affairs between the two of you, I felt it would be safer to keep you out of contact with him." L explained, knowing exactly where her question was going. It explained her lack of technology, but did he really not trust her to stop communication on her own?

"Who is the second Kira?" Eva asked after a short pause.

"A model by the name of Misa Amane." L picked up a cup of tea and began to stir sugar cubes into it. "You may have heard of her."

"No, sorry. I don't really follow the modeling world." Eva admitted. As if on cue, the TV switched to a camera feed. A shocked gasp escaped Eva's lips when she saw it. Some poor girl was in a strait jacket and strapped to an adjustable metal table. Involuntary peeps of discomfort were uttered along with the heavy breathing from her shivering body. "Is that…?"

"Since she's suspected for being the second Kira, I had no choice but to restrain her." L clarified, fully aware of how distressed Eva was over the accommodations.

"Ryuzaki, are you able to see the live feed?" Watari's voice came through the laptop.

"Yes. It's coming through clearly. Short of killing her, do whatever you have to do to make her talk." L replied.

"Torture?" Eva quickly chimed in, her face distraught with disbelief over his actions. "You're sanctioning torture?"

"If I have to." L answered, finally making eye contact with Eva for the first time since she entered the room.

"How can you…she's just a girl!" Eva raised her voice him, something she rarely did with anyone. She felt like she was talking to her father again.

"She can avoid any and all discomfort by giving us the information we ask for. If she decides to stupidly defend Kira at her own expense, then—"

"Stupid? Is that how you see me?" Eva cut him off. L was slightly taken aback. He glanced at the TV screen for a moment, then returned his eyes to Eva, who had never pulled hers away from him. It was a confusing accusation. What was she talking about? When did this become about her?

"No, of course not. I'm talking about Misa Amane—"

"You're talking about a girl who will most likely stand by her convictions because she believes in what Kira is doing." Eva explained. "How is that any different from me? You understand if the roles were reversed, if Kira had kidnapped me and decided to torture me, I wouldn't talk either, right? Because I believe that you're on the right side of justice." She paused and pushed her index finger against the mostly healed, but still tender cut on her lip.

"I'm not Kira." L argued. "I would never ask someone to sacrifice themselves on my behalf."

"Kira didn't ask her to either. Wasn't that our entire theory? That she was acting on her own? …you wouldn't have to ask me to martyr myself. I would do it if it meant that you could continue the investigation and bring Kira to justice."

"I've never subscribed to the idea of throwing one's life away." L retorted, clearly irritated that Eva would try to paint him and Kira with the same brush, regardless of the measure. Eva scoffed at his response. She turned back to TV and observed the helpless blonde. It was heartbreaking. Eva felt a kinship with Misa. They had both volunteered their lives to a cause that they believed in, and while she vehemently disagreed with her, torture was a step too far. It was difficult to see L as the dragon, but Eva felt Misa was sorely in need of a knight.

"Clearly." Eva replied with a small pout, discomfort and grief clear on her face. "I've been solitary confinement for four days, and Misa's on a torture rack. Congratulations. Your views on the intrinsic value of life really shine through in trying times." she muttered bitterly as she stood.

"Where are you going?" L asked, watching her walk to the door.

"Home."

"I'm afraid that's not a possibility right now." He was blunt. Eva stopped in front of the door and turned to him, wondering if she should challenge him. Could he really stop her if she decided to just walk out right now? It's not like he would follow her outside and make a scene. Eva instinctively bit her lip and winced at the pain in her cut. He would probably send the task force to retrieve her before she got very far. He kept his eyes on her as she mulled over her options. His grey orbs bore into her as if they could read her thoughts. Eva sighed, resigning herself to the reality of the situation. This was clearly done with her parents' permission. If nothing else, they would bring her back here.

"So, the only difference between Misa and I are the comforts of our prisons?"

"If it helps you to see it that way." L countered, clearly losing patience for their tiff. He stood and walked over to a door, opening it to reveal a bedroom. Eva obeyed his silent command and slowly made her way to him. "Watari will retrieve more clothes for you. He'll escort you to and from doctors' appointments. Your mother will contact To-Oh and let them know that you'll be out for a few weeks. I'm sure they'll be more than willing to accommodate your absence due to your medical condition." Eva didn't respond. Instead, she just sat on the bed, tightly hugging her journal to her chest. L noticed it in her arms, and quickly recognized the leather binding. "Still think of me as a hero?" The question mocked her. It was difficult to answer. She had such a visceral reaction to everything that was happening. It was wrong, and she knew it. She turned to L and opened her mouth, and he waited for her to spew the vitriol that he felt he deserved. At first, Eva had every intention to do so, but something happened to her for the first time: she opted to skip her initial, visceral, reaction and really thought about the question. Was he a hero?

"Of course." she finally said. It was obvious from the dumbfounded look on his face that she had caught L off guard, yet again. "I told you: I had no illusions of meeting a perfect person who had everything figured out. I don't agree with what you're doing, but that doesn't erase all of the good you've done in the past." Eva looked down at the journal and ran her fingers across the leather. She thought about the kind way L had always addressed her. How sweet he had been the other day when he found out about Light. "I wish you could see that, too." She wasn't sure if L heard her, but when he left, Eva walked to the bay window of her new room. At least this tower had a fresh view.

* * *

L stared at the live feed of Misa Amane. His leg bounced with anxiety knowing her 'enhanced interrogation' would begin any minute now. _I don't agree with what you're doing, but it doesn't erase all of the good you've done in the past. …I wish you could see that, too._

"Shit." he grumbled under his breath. She had done this to him on purpose. L couldn't be sure if her unfiltered honesty was the most convincing thing in the world, or if she was a master manipulator who knew exactly how to guilt trip him into the behaviors that she wanted. L held down a button on his mic and leaned in. "Watari."

"Yes, Ryuzaki?" he answered almost immediately. _Shit._

"Let's see how Amane holds up in confinement for a while before we take any…unnecessary steps." The words felt like a defeat.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." L pulled his finger away from the mic and leaned back against the sofa. He clicked off the TV and let out an irritated breath. "I know you heard that." He watched Eva step around the couch and take a seat next to him. She struggled to hold back a smile, and eventually gave up trying all together when their eyes met.

"Thank you." she whispered, laying her head down on his shoulder and wrapping her arms around his torso in a hug. Though still surprising, L tensed less this time. Instead, he brought his arm around her shoulders almost immediately and instinctively buried his nose in her silky, black hair. She smelled like the summer—like watermelon and lemonade.

* * *

 _June 1_

 _I don't know what to do._

 _I just feel so empty and numb._

* * *

Light sat at his desk, absentmindedly staring off into space. It was the first time he had felt like this since picking up the notebook. It was the same feeling he had in class that day—the day he found the Death Note—emptiness. He glanced over at his bed, the same way he had glanced at the empty seat next to him in class, hoping that maybe if he wished for it hard enough, she would appear with her bubbly smile and sweet laughter. He turned his eyes back to the notebook when his wishful thinking failed him. He had started this for her. What was the point if she wasn't with him? He immediately shook himself from the pessimistic thoughts. He wanted to create a kinder world for her—for everyone. That was still worth pursuing. She would understand once it was realized. She would understand why he had to do it all. She would forgive him.

He leaned back in his chair and sighed, checking his phone for the twentieth time that day. Still no response. Her parents were stonewalling him. Her professors had just said she was out sick. No hospitals were giving him any information. This had L's fingerprints all over it. Had L asked her not to talk to him? Light seriously doubted Eva would agree to that. Unless…L had told her about Misa and Kiyomi. Light had purposely began to flirt with Kiyomi so rumors of the well-known idol would circulate quickly. He would simply deny it to Eva, who would believe him. It might have caused her momentary discomfort, but she wasn't the possessive or jealous type. She definitely wouldn't lend any credence to rumors from students at To-Oh. They may have been intelligent, but most of them were not as well versed in dating. To them, a polite conversation could be misinterpreted as two lovers in the throes of passion. However, if she heard the same words from L... Well, that would be a different story.

He crossed his arms and frowned at the memory of events that had trapped him here. It was supposed to be so easy. Misa was supposed to disappear in the rumors of his involvement with other women. She was supposed to be just another girl infatuated with Light Yagami, while he kept a real relationship with Eva. He never expected L to appear on campus. He clenched his jaw in anger. Misa was supposed to keep her distance. _What is wrong with that girl?_ The urge to hit her had never left him. Now she was in L's clutches, along with Eva. He needed a reason to go to the task force headquarters. Light picked up the Death Note and began to flip through the pages.

"I guess riding to the rescue is part of being a savior." he mumbled to himself. He stood and turned. A small, startled cry left him when he found himself face to face with Misa's god of death—Rem. The white, skeletal monster hovered over him, staring down with one menacing, yellow eye. The fangs that poked out from between her purple lips reminded Light of a viper. Everything about Rem signaled danger.

"What's the matter, Rem?" Ryuk asked, also taken aback by her presence.

"Light Yagami," Rem began, ignoring Ryuk. "Misa has refused my offer to help her escape. No doubt because she knows it would cause you trouble, since the police would then have proof of her powers. When her suffering became more than she could bear, she started begging me to kill her. All of this because she wants you to love her." Light stared back at the god of death, his face devoid of emotion. _What a stupid girl._ "I could not possibly let it go on like that, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. There was only one way to save her from her suffering."

"Forfeiting ownership of the Death Note." Light finished for her.

"Yes. Once Misa forfeited ownership of the Death Note, all of her memories related to it disappeared. All the murders she committed with it. The fact that you are Kira. All of those memories are gone. Your secret is safe. Also, Misa is no longer able to see Ryuk or me either." If Light had cared enough to look for it, he would have seen sorrow on Rem's face. But he was just relieved to have the situation back in his control.

"You did the right thing, Rem." he commended his useful puppet. "If her memories of the Death Note are gone, then chances are they'll have to release her eventually." The fangs of the viper came out. Rem held up her hand, her sharp claw mere centimeters from Light's eye.

"Light Yagami, I proposed this to Misa knowing it was exactly what you wanted and that it would serve your purpose. However, I did so under one condition: if you do no save Misa, I will kill you."

"I understand, and I have a pretty good idea of what L will do next. I have a plan." he turned his head toward the far cuddlier god of death in the room. "This is goodbye, Ryuk."

"Huh?" Ryuk jumped back, surprised by the seemingly quick end to his long-awaited entertainment. _She'll understand once I explain it to her._

* * *

"Eva?"

"Huh?" Eva answered, looking up at L. He gave her a quizzical look before diverting his gaze to her hands. "Sorry, did you say something?"

"You've been stirring that cup of tea for almost twenty minutes straight. Are you alright?" he asked. She looked down at the cup full of now cold liquid and sighed.

"Yea…I'm just…." She glanced back at the camera feed of Misa Amane, then at the task force members who were all busy sorting through their paperwork. Eva lowered her voice to a whisper. "Her trying to commit suicide…it just freaked me out."

"That's perfectly understandable." L replied in a similarly hushed tone. Eva set down the cup of tea and sat up a little straighter.

"No, that's not…." She took a deep breath. "I know you don't like hearing this, but it freaked me out because that's exactly what I would have done."

"You're right. I don't like hearing that." She could see L dig his fingers into his knees a bit as he shifted on the couch. He began to rub his big toes together and Eva gave him a sympathetic smile.

"I'm sorry. I don't mean to upset you. It's just that even without the torture, confinement of this nature still breaks pretty much every law regarding human health and safety in Japan. She's probably terrified. If I were caught by Kira and placed in a similar position, suicide would definitely seem like the most appealing offer on the table." L pushed his thumb to his bottom lip and traced it, unsure of how to respond. Luckily for him, Misa began to speak before he had the opportunity.

"Hello? Mr. Stalker?" Misa asked innocently. "Are you there?" Her head lopped to the side again, as if she were fading in and out of consciousness. When she woke up the second time, she mumbled something similar before beginning to show signs of fatigue. Watari loosened her restraints for a few minutes and allowed her to use a bathroom in her sedated state. He promptly returned her to the rack and she was out again. The third time was a bit more panicked. Her breathing was more erratic and her speech was a bit clearer. "Are you there, Mr. Stalker?"

"Why does she keep saying Mr. Stalker?" Eva asked, tilting her head to the side.

"Does she think she can just get out of this by playing dumb?" Aizawa hypothesized, stepping behind the couch to view the screen.

"Seriously…." Matsuda agreed, joining him.

"Okay, how about this? You could at least take off my blindfold, don't you think?" Misa tried to negotiate. "It would be nice to see what you look like." L kept tracing his bottom lip with his thumb, his eyes narrowing at the scene before him.

"Matsuda, call Mogi for me." L finally said, holding out his hand for a cell phone.

"Sure, one second." Matsuda complied, hitting the speed dial button and handing the device to L who held it awkwardly to his ear. The call was answered after two audible rings.

"Mr. Mogi? When you apprehended Misa Amane you made it clear that she was a suspect, am I correct?" he asked. Eva couldn't hear the answer on the other end of the phone. "Thank you." He ended the call with an abrupt flick of the phone.

"What if I give you an autograph or shake your hand?" She gasped excitedly with a smile. "O, I know! I could give you a kiss on the cheek if you want! O, c'mon! I won't run away! I promise!" the blonde pleaded. L held down a button on his mic but hesitated before speaking.

"Misa Amane."

"Huh? What's that, Mr. Stalker?" Misa asked, perplexed by the robotic voice. "Are you planning to release me?"

"Before you passed out you barely spoke. You even asked me to kill you, and now you're claiming ignorance?" L pressed.

"Hm? I don't understand. I mean, you're the one who knocked me out and brought me here, remember? Wait…I get it. This is some kind of Misa Amane interrogation fantasy, right?" she reasoned.

"Interrogation fantasy?" Eva questioned. "Is that a thing?

"Do you know why I'm detaining you here? You must have **some** idea." L continued, ignoring the implications of her previous statement.

"What do you mean? Because I'm a celebrity, **obviously**! But you're definitely the first stalker who's ever gone this far, and you're starting to scare me."

"Just now?" Eva muttered, unsure if the girl was stupid or brave…or both.

"Hey, Amane!" Matsuda yelled, grabbing the mic and holding it to his mouth. "No one's buying this crap, so just cut it out!"

"Ah! This is scary! What's going on? I can't stand it anymore! Please let me go!" Misa shrieked, pulling and writhing against her restraints. "You have to let me go! I-I need to go to the bathroom. Yea, just let me go to the bathroom, okay?!" The panic was easy to sense in her voice.

"It's only been a few minutes since you last went to the bathroom. I'm afraid you'll have to hold it."

"You have to! It's the only time you untie me and let me move! Plus…you'd be able to watch. Isn't that what you want? Isn't it?! You **pervert!"** Tears began to flow from her eyes and Eva suddenly felt bad for her again.

"I'm…a pervert?" L whispered, surprised by the accusation. He quickly refocused. "Amane, let's get back to the conversation we were having before you passed out. Do you know who Light Yagami is, and if so, why did you approach him?"

"Huh? What do you mean? How could I not know who my own boyfriend is?" Misa questioned.

"…boyfriend?" It was Eva's turn to be surprised. She thought back on that night. Was this the blonde girl she had seen in Light's room?

"Where is this coming from?" Matsuda asked. "I thought Light was dating Eva." _You and me both._ Eva felt the bitterness return again. For a moment, she felt her sympathy for Misa ebb, but the thought was quickly interrupted by the buzzing of L's cell phone.

"His ears must be ringing." L muttered as he checked the caller ID. "Please turn the audio and video feed off." he instructed Watari, who swiftly obliged. "Yes…yes, I understand. We'll be expecting you in room K2801."

"…is he coming here?" Eva peeped out when L hung up the phone. L gave her a slight nod before returning to his interrogation. Eva watched Misa carefully, trying to figure out why Light would lie to her. Where did he even meet a model? Light was always at school or at home studying. The only time they went anywhere else was for coffee. Eva gasped. "Ryuzaki!" she tugged on his sleeve. He muted the mic and turned toward her.

"What is it?"

"Do you have pictures of Misa Amane? Does she have brown eyes?" she asked frantically. L stood up and grabbed a laptop. He brought it back to the couch and sat it down in front of her. Eva quickly opened up a tab and typed in Misa's name. Hundreds of images flooded the browser, and she suddenly put the pieces together. "The girl from the coffee shop!"

"You know her?" L asked, interested in the connection.

"No, not exactly. I had a run in with her at the coffee shop Light and I always go to. I accidentally bumped into her, and I remember that encounter so well because she acted so strangely."

"Stranger than this?" Matsuda joked.

"I was the one that bumped into her. I was on my phone and I wasn't paying attention. She got really mad at me at first, but then, all of the sudden, she got a really surprised look on her face and I noticed she was staring at the top of my head. Then she was really nice to me. She told me it wasn't a big deal and held the door open for me."

"At the top of your head? I got a similar reaction from her when I told her my alias." L mentioned.

"Light must have met her at that coffee shop." Eva reasoned. It was both a comforting and horrifying answer. If Light had just met her coincidentally, then he wasn't Kira. She was just one of the many girls who wanted to be with him. But if he **had** met her at that coffee shop…then he had been interested in this other girl for a while now, perhaps even before he asked Eva to be in a relationship. Had it really been out of pity all along? Did he feel responsible for her in some way?

"We can ask him once he gets here." L replied. Eva nodded in agreement, but she wasn't sure she wanted to know the answer. She glanced at the empty chair where Light usually sat. While she had never questioned Light's love for her before, maybe it was the lack of his presence that had her feeling so empty. She had never been away from her best friend for this long before, either. It was hard to tease out any feelings in the numbness.


	18. Chapter 18

**Author's Note:** This one's a little shorter. I figured this event was important enough to merit its own chapter. Also, this was such a welcome relief because I literally spent all day typing up comparative analyses for medical treatments. Let me tell you, creative writing is _WAY_ more fun. Let me know what you guys think!

Thanks to Dracus7, hpfan59, UmiNight Angel Neko, -279, and Joyleaf21 for the reviews! I appreciate you guys so much! I'm super excited to write the memory-loss parts, too. I'm trying to figure out what organic conversation would sound like in that scenario, but I struggle _SO_ much with writing Light's dialogue. I feel like he's way more chill about it than I ever would be. If some rando told someone "yup, don't know how I found you or how we know each other, but we're dating and I love you," I think the average person would be freaking the fuck out, looking up laws on restraining orders, and installing an extra deadbolt on their door. That's a murder-rape waiting to happen, right?

* * *

 **Chapter 18**

* * *

Light ran his hand through his hair. The back of his neck was matted with sweat, and when the door to the hotel room opened, his heart skipped a beat. A week away from Eva felt like a lifetime. He wanted more than anything to run over to her, wrap her up in his arms, and lift her. It was their customary greeting whenever they had been away from each other for extended periods of time, even when they were in constant communication. Eva would visit family in the US once a year. And though she was never gone longer than a week, Light would wait for her at the airport to greet her as soon as her flight landed. They would run across the lobby, racing to each other, and meet in a tight hug like star crossed lovers. But…he restrained himself when he saw the look on her face. She had barely glanced up at him when he entered, and now she stood awkwardly behind L, with arms defensively held across her stomach. She only did that when she felt self-conscious…uneasy…unsafe. It broke Light's heart. He took a deep breath and stepped forward, staring down L.

"Ryuzaki, it's like I said over the phone: I could be Kira." Light did his best to sound convincing. He closed his eyes in feigned shame, even refusing to open them when he felt his father's hands tightly grasp his shoulders and shake him.

"No, Light! What are you talking about?!" Soichiro asked frantically. "Why would you even say something like that?! **Why**?!" Light opened his eyes and looked over at Eva. She watched him with a petrified expression. Her green eyes glimmered under a fine layer of tears. Her bottom lip quivered. Light noticed the cut on it. When had that happened? Had someone done that to her? Was he not around to see it? Was he unable to protect her? "Look, dad." Light decided to continue with his rehearsed speech, but kept his eyes on Eva's cut. "If Ryuzaki is L then it's safe to say that he's the world's best detective, and right now he seems pretty sure that I'm Kira. We know L's never been wrong before."

"W-what are you saying, Light?! Stop this!" his father tried to insist again.

"What about that FBI agent?" Light questioned. "Raye Penber. It was me he was investigating immediately before he died, and I was in Aoyama on May twenty-second. Also, I'm the first person in the Kanto region that Misa, the alleged second Kira approached. It's all been me. If I were in L's place, even I would have come to the same conclusion." Light turned his eyes away from Eva and looked down at his hands. "What if…subconsciously, I am Kira? If that were the case, I could be doing all this and not even know it." He quickened his breathing. "I-I'm not sure of anything anymore. I'd never kill someone, but subconsciously, who knows what I'm capable of? For all we know, I could be killing people in my sleep."

"I'm afraid that's not possible." L immediately spoke up. _Got you._

"What do you mean?" Light pushed innocently, recalling the show he had put on for the cameras.

"Well, I never mentioned this to you, but at one point I had hidden surveillance cameras installed in your room for five days."

"Cameras?" Light gasped with rehearsed shock and chagrin.

"W-when?" Eva squeaked out, finally turning her eyes to L. She tightened her arms across her stomach. L glanced up at her, instantaneously sensing her discomfort with the situation.

"Don't worry. I didn't catch you in any compromising situations." he mumbled. Light tried to hold back a smirk. He knew Eva far better than L could ever hope to. She was a shy, self-conscious girl who did not take kindly to her privacy being violated, especially if it had to do with her body. She had only become comfortable changing in the same room as Light during their junior year, when they went on a school camping trip. Eva had opted to share a tent to avoid lugging one with her. A costly mistake. She ended up with two other tent mates, and begged Light, who had been antisocial enough to bring his own tent, to allow her to change in privacy. The soft drizzles of that weekend weren't enough to cancel the trip, but they kept Light in the tent as she slipped in and out of her pajamas. He would sit with his face to the entrance until she told him she was done. He had behaved like a perfect gentleman, regardless of how hard it was, and had earned her trust. No matter how much she admired L, he could tell from her posture that she wasn't comfortable being that vulnerable or exposed with him. If anything, the knowledge of the cameras would further deter her from it. "Every single night, you slept normally." L finished his original thought. "Criminals whose names were broadcast were still dying, even though you would have had no way of knowing about them. But this didn't prove your innocence to me. All it proved is that if you **were** Kira, no amount of camera surveillance would reveal that fact."

"Wouldn't reveal that fact, huh?" Light asked venomously.

"Wait! But if Light had no way of knowing about these criminals and they were still dying, how could you possibly suspect him?" Eva probed L, still holding her arms defensively across herself. It brought a small smile to his face. No matter how upset Eva was with him, she would never allow him to fall under what she considered to be baseless suspicions.

"It's okay, Eva." Light said softly. "I have to admit…I've found myself thinking that some criminals deserve to die." Eva stared back at him with her doe eyes. "If I can think like Kira, then how can I be sure that I'm not actually him?"

"But…that's not the same…." Eva's words trailed off as she took a few steps toward him. _She'll never change._ She had always prioritized others above herself. Light could remember a few times when he poked Eva's sides a bit too hard, mocked her a bit too much, or snapped at her a bit too quickly. She would be upset at him for a while, but as soon as she saw the sullen look on his face, as soon as she saw the disappointment he felt at hurting her, her empathy and need to take care of others would overpower whatever pain or discomfort she was in. The entirety of her focus would be shifted to him—to make sure that he was okay.

"Hold on, Light. I feel the exact same way." Matsuda spoke up. "I found myself thinking before that some people would be better off dead, but still, that doesn't mean we're going to go out and kill people. Isn't that right? Besides, Eva brought up a good point. Criminals were still being killed when you had no knowledge of them. That proves it, doesn't it?"

"Well…not exactly." Aizawa corrected. "Because we were short on investigators then, we only watched him when he was at home. Truth is, we weren't able to watch him every hour of the day. It's possible he could have found some way to kill those criminals while he wasn't at home."

"That's an insane standard." Eva rebutted. "You're basically trying to prove a negative."

"Honestly, I don't like the way that this is going at all, but what choice do I have?" L grumbled. "Let's do it."

"Do what?" Eva demanded, clearly knowing where the conversation was headed.

"Fully restrain Light Yagami and place him in solitary confinement." he answered, biting his thumb again.

"Are you insane?" she challenged. Light struggled to hold back a smirk.

"If we're going to do this then it has to happen immediately. From this point on you can't be allowed to go anywhere where I can't see you."

"This is crazy! There's no way my son could be Kira!" Soichiro argued. "My son's not capable of—"

"It's okay, dad." Light whispered.

"No, it's really not." Eva retorted. She turned back to L, holding out her arms and lifting her shoulders in a small shrug. "What are you doing? Arresting Misa was one thing, we had solid evidence that she might be the second Kira. She was a real, present danger. Light's been effectively cleared. We quite literally don't even have enough to name him as a suspect, much less arrest and monitor him. We would be laughed out of a courtroom in **any** country if we tried to defend this." Light took a few brave steps forward and placed his hand on Eva's shoulder. He expected her to retreat from his touch, but when she just stared back at him, like everything was okay again, he felt his nerves settle.

"Listen, something has to be done about this. As long as I'm having these doubts, I can't work with the task force to catch Kira." Light turned to L. "Ryuzaki, promise me this: until you can say with absolute certainty that I'm not Kira, you cannot set me free no matter what I might say or what condition I might be in."

"You have my word." L replied without much care or attention. "Mr. Yagami, can you come up with some sort of excuse for Light's absence? Something to tell your family? And please do it now."

"Do you all hear yourselves?" Eva scoffed.

"Eva." Light cooed, stepping closer to her and gently placing his hand under her chin to lift it. He examined the delicate features of her face, her gleaming green eyes surrounded by long lashes, her plump pink lips separated in a slight show of anxiety…he had missed just looking at her this past week. "If I don't do this…I won't be able to live with myself." Her eyes darted away from him, and Light moved his hand gently along her jaw until he reached a lock of hair that he could tuck behind her ear. "I'm sorry for everything I put you through." he whispered, leaning in close to her. "I was trying to let Misa and Kiyomi down gently…preserve their feelings, but I should have been more concerned with yours." He felt her move a little closer to him and tried not to smile. He knew she would forgive him. He knew she loved him.

"Do you…do you have any feelings for them?" Eva whispered back, hanging onto his every word.

"Of course not." Light answered.

"Were you ever…'involved' with either of them?"

"Never." Light felt a pang of guilt shoot through him as he remembered the taste of Misa's lips. He instinctively licked his lips, as if maybe the stains of her red gloss had persevered through all those days. "I swear." She nodded in understanding, though still with a grim expression. He pulled her into a hug and sighed with relief when he felt her small hands rest on his back. "Once my confinement is over, I'll make this all up to you." he whispered in her ear.

"I can't." Light was surprised by the answer. So much in fact that he was sure he misheard. He pulled away from her and looked down. She kept her eyes fixed on the floor, clearly trying to hold back tears. "I'm sorry, I just…I can't." _What?_ Did she know he was lying? Did she know something else? Why didn't she believe him?

"Come on, Light." Aizawa said, holding out a pair of handcuffs.

"Please put headphones and a blindfold on Light before you take him anywhere." L instructed nonchalantly, picking up a cup of tea and taking a sip. Light tried not to sneer at him. Instead, he took one last look at Eva, who refused to meet his gaze. _She'll understand._

* * *

The task force members filtered out of the room one by one, leaving L alone with Eva. He watched her fall back against one of the sofa chairs, letting the soft cushions catch her, and let out a frustrated breath.

"Why didn't you give him a second chance?" L wasn't sure what compelled him to ask that question. He shouldn't have cared. It didn't matter to the investigation.

"Because he was lying." Eva mumbled despondently, still staring at the spot where Light Yagami had stood just minutes ago. Her voice shook a bit, and she swallowed to try and calm it, or perhaps to quell an uprising of tears. It was difficult to tell.

"How do you know?"

"We've spent nearly every waking moment of the last five years together. I know when he's lying. I can just tell." The answer was strangely comforting to L, and he felt awful for it. What kind of a person rejoices in someone else's grief? He took another look at her broken disposition and decided to help in the only way he knew how.

"I need your help compiling some research."


	19. Chapter 19

**Author's Note:** Alright, another short-ish one. I promise I'll make up for it in the next chapter!

Thanks to Joyleaf21, Dracus7, Survivor-12-21-12, -279, Guest, and JessicaJade for your reviews! Just so you guys know, I'm super determined to finish this fanfic before the end of May. Or at least before July. If it has to leak into June a little bit, that's fine. But I'm hardcore committed to seeing this through. Unlike the other 4 sad fanfics just waiting for an update on my page. I'm sure I'll be in a more Attack on Titan mood once that new season hits in April.

* * *

 **Chapter 19**

* * *

 _June 3, 2004_

 _I'm allowed to go back to classes and have access to the internet again, but I still have to stay at task force headquarters for a while longer. I'm not sure how much longer. L says he hasn't cleared me of risk yet. I wonder what kind of a risk assessment he ran to figure that out. Light and Misa are both in solitary confinement._

 _Mr. Yagami also asked to be confined. L agreed. I don't know how I feel about that._

 _I convinced L to put a clock in their rooms and dim and brighten the lights on a timer to coincide with the sun. I'm afraid they'll go crazy otherwise. …solitary confinement is really inhumane. I wish he would have at least given Light some books or something to do._

 _There are no new Kira killings…._

 _I can't wait for this all to be over._

* * *

"Ryuzaki, talk to me. What's happening?" Light's voice came through the monitors, pulling Eva out of her thoughts. She glanced up at the screen nervously, as if somehow Light could see her through the camera. She quickly shook the thought away. Why was she suddenly so scared of him? Could he really be Kira? Was he capable of cold-blooded murder? "Have any new criminals been identified? Anyone that Kira would be likely to target? If so, has he killed any of them?" L reached over to the mic and held down the button to speak.

"In fact, quite a few criminals' names have been broadcast recently, but since you've been detained, we haven't had one report of a criminal being killed by Kira." L said softly into the mic.

"Wait…no one's been killed? Really?" Light asked. Eva frowned. It didn't sound like him. It sounded rehearsed…disingenuous even. Maybe it was just the pain of Light's betrayal tainting her view of him.

"Yes." L replied.

"I see…. So, it's only a matter of time before I'm convicted as Kira." Light chuckled a bit at his predicament. Eva couldn't help but to think how unlike him that was.

"…do you really think he's Kira?" Eva finally asked, nervously picking at the cut on her lip.

"The evidence sure does seem to be pointing that way." L mumbled in response. _Would you hate me if I was Kira?_

"I had a weird conversation with him when Light first joined the investigation." Eva twirled a lock of her hair around her finger and began to pull on it.

"What was it?" She kept her eyes on the ground. They were glazed over, as if she were back in that coffee shop with him again—back in their favorite booth.

"I told him I was worried about everyone that I cared about being involved in the investigation, and Light assured me nothing would happen to them." She sucked on her bottom lip for a moment. "I joked that he could only assure me that if he were Kira and…he didn't say anything for a while. Then he asked me if I would hate him if he was." She loosened her grip on her hair, letting it unravel and fall against her chest. Her green eyes captured L's grey ones. "Why would he ask me that?" L didn't answer. Instead, he waited for Eva to come to her own conclusion. "I don't want to believe Light could do something like this…but he's changed so drastically. We used to be best friends…we told each other everything. There were no secrets between us…but now…now I hardly recognize him." She turned away and returned to her anxious fiddling with her hair. "He's dating multiple girls, he's lying to me about things that don't even make any sense, he's being so cryptic…." A small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth as she thought of Light, as he was when she first met him. "He used to be really sweet, and honest, and kind. He would even get emotional from time to time."

"Sometimes people just grow apart." L offered as a reasonable answer to her conundrum.

"Yea…but not that quickly." Eva sighed and pulled her legs up onto the couch as she pushed herself into the corner for warmth. She looked over at L who was staring at her with a pensive expression on his face. His thumb moved slowly across his bottom lip as he thought about her admission.

"When did this begin?"

"I don't know…I guess around November or December of last year?" Eva noted uncertainly.

"Around the same time as the first Kira killings?" L's allegation was clear, and despite however unbelievable Light being Kira sounded to her, Eva had to admit the evidence was piling up.

"I guess…."

* * *

 _June 5, 2004_

 _I haven't really slept in almost two days. L jokes that I'm starting to look like him with these bags under my eyes._

 _I wonder if cases like these are how he got them._

* * *

"Eva." Eva gasped at hearing her name. She quickly shot up, horrified that she had fallen asleep, for however a short period of time, to begin with. "H-hey, it's okay." Matsuda stammered, startled by her reaction. "Did you fall asleep watching Light?" he asked once she had caught her breath.

"No." Eva replied, turning back to the screens. "I was watching Mr. Yagami…he looks really bad."

"What do you expect?" Aizawa chimed in. "It's been five days and there are still no new killings. We finally have some proof that Light might be Kira. In cases like this…I think the parents take it harder than the kids."

"Where's L?" Matsuda glanced around the suite.

"He went to go take a shower." Eva replied through a yawn, desperately trying to rub the sleep out of her eyes. "He walked out and I dozed off after he left. I'm sorry." She yawned again.

"It's okay…it doesn't look like you've been getting much sleep." Matsuda sat next to her and rubbed her back gently. Eva just shook her head to confirm his suspicions.

"Did I miss anything?" L asked, stepping out of a room with a towel draped lazily over his head.

"Mr. Yagami looks terrible." Eva informed him.

"You're one to talk." L joked. He cleared his throat when it didn't even pull a soft chuckle from the girl. He tried not to take it personally, assuming that she had just not heard him. He took a seat in front of his controls and leaned forward into one of the mics.

"Mr. Yagami—" The young detective could barely get the name past his lips when Soichiro jumped out of his chair and stared dead into the camera.

"What is it? Is it good news? Is it bad news?" he boomed frantically.

"N-no…." L stuttered, caught a bit off guard by the energetic outburst. "I wanted to tell you not to worry so much. It doesn't matter how much time you devote to worrying about this. The outcome will be the same. This could go on for quite some time. Perhaps you should rest in a more comfortable place."

"Impossible!" Soichiro yelled, tossing down his folded metal chair. "What makes you think I care where I am?" He motioned to the small, dingy cell with a single bed, sink, toilet, and fallen chair. "It won't change anything! With the state I'm in now, this is the best place for me, and no matter what the result, when I leave here, it's going to be with my son."

"I understand." L uttered timidly. He removed his finger from the mic and turned to the task force. "We should debrief on the current criminals being broadcast." Eva tried to remain awake and engaged during the meeting, but her head swayed from side to side in exhaustion. She forced her eyes to stay open, but barely caught a sentence or two in the nearly three hour long debrief. When Matsuda and Aizawa left, she stood and made her way to the coffee pot in the kitchenette. She was surprised to feel L's hand on her wrist as she fumbled with the filter. "You need sleep."

"Not if I drink coffee." she growled, pathetically struggling against him in her near inebriated state. L just shook his head in disapproval and moved his hands to her shoulders, navigating her away from the coffee maker and back into her room. "But I haven't cross referenced the criminals today." Eva protested.

"Go to sleep." It was his only response as he leaned down to lift her legs and gently place her into bed.

"Okay…." she gave in easily to the comforts of the sheets, stretching out her legs and raising her arms above her head like a cat. She opened her eyes for a brief moment when she felt fingers gently running up her side. Eva looked down to see her shirt riding up, exposing her boney ribcage and the deep scar from her transplant. L was tracing it, clearly fascinated by it. She quickly shoved his hand away and covered herself with the blanket.

"Sorry." L whispered, turning on his heel and quickly walking out of the room. If Eva had had more energy, she would have stayed awake for hours trying to figure out what that was all about, but she passed out only moments after the fact.

* * *

 _June 7, 2004_

 _I really miss Light. I wish he was back home._

* * *

L glared at the live camera feed in front of him. Light Yagami sat on the floor of his cell, hands and feet restrained, but perfectly calm. How could be so nonchalant about all of this? He clicked on the mic.

"Light, you've only been here for one week, but I'm sure it can't be easy. Are you feeling alright?" He noticed Eva perk up next to him and turn her attention to the screen as well.

"Yea," Light bleated, "I know I must look pretty bad in here, but this useless pride…I suppose I'll have to **get rid of it**." It was an odd thing to say, and something that certainly caused Eva to shift in her seat and lean closer to the monitors with a look of trepidation.

"Light?" she whispered. The mic was off. There was no way he heard her, yet it seemed like Light Yagami reacted directly to her voice. His eyes widened and began to glance around his cell in confusion.

"Ryuzaki, I realize I was the one pushing for confinement and that I asked you to put me in here, but I just realized something important: this whole thing's completely pointless because I'm not Kira! You have to get me out of here!" Light exclaimed.

"I can't do that. I promised you that no matter what you said, I wouldn't let you out until I was convinced that you are not Kira."

"Please L!" he begged. "I wasn't thinking clearly! Do you really think a serial killer like Kira could commit those crimes without being aware of them? If I have no memory of his crimes, I'm not him!"

"I've never been able to accept this idea that Kira could have been acting without self-awareness all this time, but that doesn't change the fact that all the evidence points to you being Kira." L explained. "Since we imprisoned you, Kira hasn't committed a single murder."

"Listen…just hear me out!" Light's voice cracked. "I swear to you, I'm not lying! You have to believe me! I am not Kira! I must have been framed. That's the only explanation for this!" _What's wrong with you, Light Yagami? What you're saying is completely absurd but…._

"This is…this isn't an act." Eva whispered, moving closer to L. "I've only seen him like this once before."

"You can tell?" L asked, though thinking the same thing himself.

"I can." Eva responded with a nod, keeping her eyes on the screen. "Everything he said that night he was here…everything he's said on camera since then…even the way he chuckled when he found out that criminals hadn't been dying…it all felt so over-produced. Light can be a little cocky, but he was never like that. This…this is what I would expect from him under these circumstances…. This feels like the Light I knew."

"You have to let me out! We're wasting time!" Light yelled at the camera.

"We can't let you out, yet." L replied.

"Damn!" Light dropped his head, shaking with frustration. "Why is this happening?"

"What the hell is going on?" Aizawa asked. "His personality is completely different, he's contradicting himself…it doesn't make any sense to me."

"Well, we can't really release him now that the murders have stopped." Matsuda reasoned. "It doesn't matter what he says."

"As far as I'm concerned, we have all the proof we need." Aizawa claimed with crossed arms. "Light Yagami is Kira, and that's the end of it." L's eyes darted back to Eva, who watched Light with bated breath.

"Light?" The solemn whisper involuntary left her lips again.


	20. Chapter 20

**Author's Note:** We're finally in the thick of it! As a viewer, I love Death Note for how fast it moves. As a writer, I hate Death Note for how fast it moves.

Thanks to Joyleaf21, Dracus7, and -279 for the reviews! I'm glad you guys are enjoying it, and like I said before, I can't wait to write memory-less Light. He's way more fun than Kira Light.

-crosses arm and shakes head with disapproval at Kira Light- What happened? You used to be fun. You got lame, dude. You let the _MAN_ change you. So disappointed.

* * *

Chapter 20

* * *

 _June 11, 2004_

 _I've never felt this guilty about anything in my life…ever._

 _I'm such a horrible person._

* * *

L wasn't sure when he began to take care of Eva, but he definitely knew what sparked it. Seeing her deep scar and her emaciated body had troubled him. It had urged him to begin forcing her to eat more often, even when she insisted that she was too nauseous. L had told her that she should take a few bites throughout the day, even if she feels sick. Perhaps that's when he began to feel responsible for her upset stomach. He would gently lead her to the bathroom when she felt the waves of nausea wash over her, and hold her hair back as she choked up stomach bile. It was unsettling, but not nearly as unsettling as this night, when she began to shiver uncontrollably. L had caught her sitting dangerously close to the fireplace in her room with sheets and blankets wrapped all around her. He had pulled a corner of the cloth away from the crackling wood that spat embers onto the floor from time to time. Eva had insisted that it was too cold to sit further away from the fire, and L wrapped her up in his arms, transferring some much needed body heat to her. Her cold hands settled on his stomach, and she rested her head against his chest. She had passed out almost immediately, leaving L to envy Light in some sense.

L had seen it on the hidden cameras many times. Whenever Eva was nauseous, Light would take her to the bathroom, even kneeling down and letting her sit on his shoulder so she wouldn't get tired of standing. He would carry her up and down the stairs when her muscles were particularly weak. He would hold her through the night to keep her warm, and even keep track of when she needed to take her medication. L had wondered why Light was so keen to do so much for this girl, but he understood it now. The gentle puffs of Eva's breath against his shirt, the soft tickle of her fingernails dragging against his stomach, the silky touch of her black hair, he had taken a liking to each of these sensations and looked forward to them every day.

"Ryuzaki?" she called out timidly when she woke a bit later.

"Hm?" he asked, tightening his grip on her. Eva moved her hand from his stomach and rested it flat on his chest.

"Aren't you hot? You've been sitting in front of this fireplace with me for hours now."

"I'm fine." he assured her. Her fingers ran up further, past his collarbone, up his neck, and around the back into his hair. L tried not to groan in discomfort as she wiped the sweat on the back of his neck.

"You're melting."

"Your hands are just sweaty." he jokingly accused. She let out a melodic little laugh. He glanced down at her, unsure of what to say or do when she was staring at him. He knew she was waiting for something, he could see it in the attentive motions of her green eyes. When he failed to produce and returned his eyes to the fire place, Eva lowered her head back down to his shoulder.

It wasn't until later in that same night, when Eva came out of her room to work, that the feeling crept up on L again.

"What are you doing?" L asked, watching her settle down in front of a computer with the blanket still around her.

"I just want to cross reference the new broadcast of criminals." she replied meekly, already knowing that he would prefer she stay in bed.

"You just had chemo yesterday. Take a break." he ordered, standing up from his seat and making his way to her.

"No, I'm fine! Really!" Eva insisted, holding onto edge of her seat, well aware of his next move. L lifted her, blankets and all, and she desperately clawed for something to hang onto. He chuckled when she gave up and went limp over his shoulder. It was a short fight—a brief period of denial before she realized that L was much taller and much stronger than her. "I just want to help…." L dropped her onto the bed and shoved his hands back into his jean pockets, his eyes darting around the room in search of a remote. When it noticed it on the nightstand on the other side of the bed, he crawled across the bed and grabbed it, laying on his side to turn on the TV. He flipped through channels until he found a reality show about married couples that L couldn't help but to feel should immediately file for a divorce.

"Here, watch something mindless for a change."

"Will you watch it with me?" she asked innocently. "I haven't had anyone to watch mindless TV with me in a long time." He felt that pang of jealousy again, and before he could reason through it, he found himself answering her request on a purely emotional basis.

"Sure." L wanted to kick himself. The Kira case was a priority. He couldn't waste time on mindless TV. But when he saw her cute smile and the excited way she wobbled over to him as he sat up, his worries began to fade.

As the fire died out, L felt a shiver run through his body. There was a draft in this room. No wonder Eva was so cold. He glanced at the window, contemplating trying to find the source of chill. Eva made the decision easy for him. She quickly noticed the goosebumps appearing across his arm and threw the blanket over him. She moved closer and their limbs intertwined below the secrecy of the sheets.

"Are you cold?" Eva asked, taking his hands into hers.

"Yes." L replied nonchalantly, staring into her eyes. "It seems someone was far too selfish with the blankets." he joked. Eva's smile widened.

"Selfish?!" she asked with feigned shock. She let go of his hands. "Fine! A selfish person wouldn't try to warm your hands."

"True, but I'm also selfish." She tilted her head in curiosity at his comment. "My hands being warm is more important than the discomfort this will cause you."

"What—" Eva's sentence was cut off by a sharp gasp as L pushed his cold hands just under the bottom of her shirt and against her stomach. She leaned into him, resting her forehead on his as she ripped his hands away and began to laugh. He couldn't help but to join in. "Okay," she began between heavy breaths, "you'll pay for that."

"Really?" He was skeptical at best. She didn't seem like the type who was out for revenge.

"Yea…." Eva whispered, forehead still against his, hands still tightly grasping his wrists. She pulled away just a bit, just enough to look into his eyes, and he saw that look again. What was she waiting for? He was so engrossed in the question that he barely felt her nose bump up against his, and it was only the sweet, minty flavor of her lips that made him realize that she had leaned in and kissed him. When he failed to respond quickly enough, she pulled away. "I'm—" L didn't allow her to finish whatever thought was coming next, be it explanation or apology. He didn't think it was fair that she should make that call without knowing his real reaction. He pushed his lips against hers, far more roughly than he intended, but when Eva simply entangled her fingers into his hair, pulling him with her as she leaned back to lay in the bed, L decided to just go with it. He climbed on top of her, and after nearly a minute of exchanging saliva she stopped and smiled at him. The guilt hit him again. This was clearly as far as she was comfortable going, and L wasn't sure if he knew that going into the interaction, or considering his ever present erection, if he just wasn't able to make those advances fast enough. Eva's smile was quickly killed by the muffled sound of Light's microphone in the other room.

"Ryuzaki? Ryuzaki, are you there?" L cleared his throat and stood, finding the moment just toxic enough to kill whatever temptation had been lingering within him. He glanced over at Eva. Her face had gone from small, bubbly giggles and a radiant smile to the look a person delivering a eulogy would be likely to have. She rushed out of the room and out in front of the camera. L followed her and clicked on the mic.

"Yes, Light. I'm here." he answered.

"Did Eva have chemo today?" Light asked.

"No, that was yesterday." L replied.

"O…I guess I'm losing track of the days. How is she?" L narrowed his eyes at the brown-haired boy who looked so longingly into the camera with seemingly deep-seated concern in his eyes. He took another look at Eva, who sniffled and quickly wiped away the emerging tears.

"As well as can be expected."

"Okay…just…just tell her to take it easy. And—and make sure she's eating. She tends not to when she's feeling really nauseous. She gets dizzy really easily. So, make sure you keep checking in on her." Light continued for a few more moments, rattling off a list of things that he thought L should be looking for. L kept his eyes on Eva, who seemed to grow more and more distressed with each item until she finally retreated to her room and shut the door.

"I got it, Light." L reassured the boy. He turned off the mic and headed to Eva's room, giving the door a gentle knock. "Eva? Are you alright?" He heard her small sobs and hiccups when he pushed his ear against the door.

"I-I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"I shouldn't have…I'm sorry." Guilt had clearly taken a hold of her as well, and for a moment, L wondered if he was the one being watched by Light Yagami. He opted for the less paranoid conclusion: Eva still felt some level of romantic obligation to Light. It was rational, it was understandable, it was to be expected. So, then…why did it bother L so much? Why did he feel these painful jolts of jealousy stemming from an uneasy pit in his stomach?

* * *

 _June 15, 2004_

 _Things have been really awkward. L and I haven't talked about anything other than the investigation, and only if we really needed to. I can't tell if I'm avoiding him or if he's avoiding me. Probably both._

 _I shouldn't have kissed him. I don't know what came over me. Maybe I was just upset…I don't know._

 _Light's been asking about me recently…and today we found out that two weeks' worth of criminals died all in one day. It's looking like Light isn't Kira after all. I knew he couldn't be. It's just not Light._

* * *

"Is it true?!" Eva jumped when she heard Matsuda's sudden exclamation. He literally burst through the hotel doors, letting their knobs slam against the walls. She stood and responsibly closed them behind him as he talked with Aizawa and L about the re-emergence of Kira. While the death of criminals was no celebrating matter, Eva understood his enthused response. Light being Kira was an unsettling conclusion for everyone. He was too kind, too smart, too amazing to end up in such a precarious position. He was…Light. "Did you tell the chief, yet?"

"Not yet." Aizawa responded. Matsuda shot him an eager smile and rushed over to the mic controls with an excited giggle. Before L could process what was happening, Matsuda turned on Soichiro's mic and began to speak.

"Hey Chief, Kira's started killing again!"

"What?!" Soichiro stood up immediately, as if he were jolted awake from a nightmare.

"It looks like Kira was just resting, but now he's started punishing criminals again."

"Is that…." A sigh of relief left the seasoned police chief. "I shouldn't be happy that criminals are dying…but at least my son—wait…knowing Ryuzaki, this won't be enough to clear Light."

"He's in the grey." L admitted begrudgingly. The disheveled man seemed more on edge recently than ever before. His temper was short, his responses often dripped with venom, and he was unyielding to alternative points of view.

"That's a hell of a lot better than being completely guilty." Soichiro took the victory, however small, with a laugh. "Thank god."

"Let's tell Light!" Matsuda reached for the other mic, and L quickly slapped his hand away.

"Matsuda!" he snapped, earning a frightened yelp from the young police detective.

"I mean—please don't, Mr. Matsuda." L corrected his tone and brought down his volume. "We shouldn't tell him about this."

"But…why not?" L ignored the question and leaned in to the mic.

"Hello, Light?"

"What is it Ryuzaki?" Light's voice was strained, his head was hanging, and his body looked exhausted. Eva wanted to help him. She wanted to take care of her best friend the same way he had taken care of her. She bit her lip, still feeling torn up about her decisions. Even in confinement, Light was thinking about how she would be taken care of. How could she have fallen into anyone else's arms while he was still suffering? "You've been in here just over two weeks and not a single new criminal has been punished. Now, why make this harder than it has to be? Are you ready to confess?"

"Don't be ridiculous!" Light shot back. "I understand why you feel that way, but I'm telling you, you're wrong! Even if the evidence does point to me, I swear to you: this is a set up! I am not Kira!" He stared directly into the camera. "Zoom in on me if you want. Go ahead! Look at my eyes! You tell me: do these look like the eyes of someone who is lying?"

"He's not." Eva said with a frown when she noticed L sneering at Light's display. He gave her a brief glance before switching to the other mic.

"Amane, are you ready to tell me who Kira is or not?" L asked for possibly the hundredth time.

"Huh? That again?" Misa groaned, all too familiar with the song and dance. "I wish I knew, but I don't. Because if I did, I'd thank him for punishing the burglar who killed my parents. To me, Kira is a hero."

"I don't understand what's going on here." L grumbled under his breath.

"You were wrong." Eva explained. It came off as more of an accusation than she hoped, but she was upset with him. Why was he still confining them? Why was he fighting the evidence? Why couldn't he see Light was innocent? Why did he kiss her back? Eva needed him to be the hero she knew he was. She needed him to say no—to the confinement, to his hypothesis, to Eva. Maybe if L closed that door for her, she wouldn't feel so heartbroken.

* * *

 _July 20, 2004_

 _He can be such an ass sometimes._

* * *

Eva sat in the common area of the suite, taking diligent notes and cross referencing criminal broadcasts with their deaths. It had been over a month since the Kira killings began again, and she felt her patience growing thinner every day. The sudden snap of her pencil lead brought her out of the rage-inducing thoughts. She let out a frustrated sigh before opening the drawer of her desk to dig around for another pencil.

"Are you still mad at me?" L called out to her from his seat on the couch. Eva glared at him.

"Are you still keeping three people in solitary confinement without any evidence?" she chided.

"Technically, Mr. Yagami is keeping himself in solitary confinement." L corrected. Eva rolled her eyes and returned to her paperwork. She heard L sigh and tried to ignore him as he stood up and made his way over to her. "You told me before that you can tell when Light is lying." He awkwardly shifted from foot to foot and pushed his hands into his pockets.

"I really don't feel like making small talk with you right now." Eva warned him.

"It's not small talk." he replied, pulling out a chair and taking a seat on it.

"Why do you care?" She was getting more flippant by the second.

"Because I'd like to release him in the next couple of days, and I'd like some sort of assurance that he's not lying to me." The answer was blunt and a bit embarrassing for Eva. She had been so sure that this was one of L's numerous failed attempts at small talk since he had expressed his intent to keep Light in confinement a month ago. Eva had not taken it well, partly due to his evident bias and partly due to her own guilt. She bit her lip, still fresh with the memory of L's kiss and blushed.

"How can I help?"


	21. Chapter 21

**Author's Note:** Okay, so someone correct me on this whole Death Note memory loss thing because I might be tripping balls. My understanding was that once the Death Note is taken away, you lose all memories pertaining to the Death Note. So, Light still remembers kissing Misa. He still remembers asking to be confined. Misa still remembers falling in love with Light and going to his house. So...this shouldn't impact the pseudo-break up that Eva and Light had in the last chapter, right? Light would still remember Eva being really upset and not wanting to start over or continue being a couple once Light is out of confinement. Am I crazy?

Thanks a bunch to Survivor12-21-12, UmiNight Angel Neko, -279, Joyleaf21, and JessicaJade for your amazing and super helpful reviews. Thanks for all the positivity and keeping me going on this series. I hope you guys enjoy the chapter!

* * *

 **Chapter 21**

* * *

 _July 23, 2004_

 _I think…if Light had pulled something like this with me, I wouldn't ever forgive him. It never ceases to amaze me what an understanding person he is…even when he shouldn't be._

 _I missed him so much. Even if our relationship didn't work out, I'm glad we're still friends. I don't know what I would do without him. I can't imagine life without Light._

* * *

"This is a bad idea." Eva stated for the thirteenth time as she watched the live feed of six different hidden cameras.

"You've already said that." L muttered in annoyance, turning up the volume on the bugs.

"I just want it noted for the record that this is the kind of thing that ends up in a law textbook about ethical violations." Eva ignored his obvious irritation with her. She couldn't help it. The whole thing made her so nervous.

"Noted." he grumbled.

"I'm serious. This is the kind of thing that a brand new, fresh-faced, first-year pre-law student would raise their hand at and ask why no one said 'this is a bad idea.'"

"Well, you've said it."

"I doubt that part makes it into the textbook."

"Shame."

"I don't even think I can watch this." Eva sat at the edge of seat, threatening to stand up and leave at a moment's notice. L glared at her, his patience wearing thin.

"Suit yourself. My understanding was that you wanted Light's detention to come to an end."

"I do, but—"

"I can do my best to judge his sincerity, but without input from both you and Mr. Yagami, my assessment will be ultimately meaningless in lifting any suspicion." Eva stared into L's eyes for a moment, her brows raised and pulled together in an expression of anxiety and worry. She finally nodded and scooched back on the couch just a tad. It stretched on for what seemed like forever: the car rides back and forth, the arrangements. Even after Misa had been picked up and Eva could hear her prattling on and on about stalkers, she still felt that anxiety in her stomach. _I just need it to be over._ "Here we go." L stated, leaning forward to grab his bowl of ice cream as they watched Light slip into the car. Eva frowned at the display. She knew it was just L's craving for sweets, but she couldn't understand how he could have an appetite in a moment like this. She turned her eyes back to the monitor and took a shaky breath as Light began to speak.

"I was starting to think I'd never get out of there, but it feels good to finally be cleared." the brown-haired boy said with a sigh. The car roared to life and Soichiro pulled out of the garage.

"No, I'm afraid you two are being taken to your execution." he stated plainly, keeping his eyes on the road ahead of him.

"Huh?" Light and Misa asked in unison.

"I wanted to be the one to escort you to the execution site. It was secretly built in an underground facility not far from here." Soichiro explained.

"Execution?! What the hell are you talking about?!" Light yelled over Misa's panicked cries.

"L is convinced that you are Kira, Light." His hands tightened on the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white. "And that Misa Amane is the second Kira. He is convinced that the only way we can prevent the murders is to execute the two of you."

"I-I don't understand! The killings have already stopped!" Light's eyes darted around frantically, and Eva leaned closer to the monitor, wondering what he was thinking.

"No, they never stopped." Light's eyes stopped moving and returned to his father.

"They never…that's not what he told me…. So, he was lying?"

"L was trying to get a confession out of you, Light. He would've said anything. But, at this point, that's not the problem. It's political now. You see, L's suggestion that the killings would stop if you two were eliminated was unanimously accepted in the UN and the Japanese government. They want Kira to disappear. No trial, no publicity."

"But that's completely insane!" Light tried to reason. "Please dad! I'm not Kira!"

"He's right!" Misa chimed in. "What kind of a father are you, anyways? This is your own son you're talking about!"

"L made this decision, not me." Soichiro mumbled. "…and his word is absolute. Over the years he's tackled the most difficult cases, solving all of them. He's never been wrong." Eva watched a particular look of disdain settle on Light's face.

"You trust L more than you trust me? Your own son?" She nervously chewed on her bottom lip. She had seen that look exactly three times before. The first time, when she was still relatively new to their high school. Some guy had cornered Eva at her locker and began to hit on her. Eva had politely rejected him a few times before, but he was less willing to take no as an answer on that day. Eva had found herself frozen with fear when he began to push his body against hers and slide his hand up her thigh. The most strength she could muster was to shut her eyes tight. Then, suddenly, his weight was no longer on her, and Eva's eyes snapped open at the sound of lockers rattling loudly. Light's hands were gripping the boy's blazer tightly, and he had him pinned against the wall of lockers. There was that look of disgust, of pure revulsion. _If you ever put your hands on her again, I'll break them._ But when Light had turned back to her, to ask her if she was okay, all Eva saw was kindness.

The second was during their sophomore year, when they found a young boy who had been beaten by kids in his neighborhood. Eva had turned toward Light on their walk home with those pleading eyes, and Light had nodded, already knowing that she wanted to help this child. They had escorted the boy to the hospital to dress his wounds, and called his parents. As they sat with him and waited, he told his story, and when Eva turned to Light again, he had a faraway look on his face. But his eyes had narrowed in that same loathing way.

The third was when they were at the beach, and Eva had finally revealed the origins of her scar. _This world seems rotten._ She had watched him grow more and more apathetic with each encounter of human failing. As much as she hated to see that look on Light's face—as if there was nothing in this world worth salvaging—it was a brief comfort. This was the Light Yagami that she was familiar with—the one that she had longed to see again.

"L went so far as to stake his life on this theory." Soichiro's voice brought Eva out of her thoughts. "If the killings don't stop, then he too will be executed."

"L said that? What could he be thinking? I-I know that given the material evidence this might seem like the only logical solution, but he's making a mistake! How could L come to this conclusion? Something's not right, here. It's just—it's—it's not like L at all! The L I know would rely on hard evidence. He has to have the truth. Is he really planning on ending it like this?!" Light's voice cracked in panic.

"Alright, we're almost there." The cameras in the car began to shake as Soichiro pulled the vehicle onto a dirt road. The car bounced and swerved as it navigated the rough terrain and eventually came to a sudden halt. Eva jerked along with it. Even from the comfortable couch in the hotel, she swore she could feel the motion sickness.

"Where are we right now?" Light asked as he glanced through the windows. "Why did you bring us out into the middle of nowhere? What is this?"

"Wait a second!" Misa exclaimed happily. "I bet he brought us out here to let us go!"

"This will do." Soichiro mumbled. "Looks like there's nobody around here to see us." He turned to his son in the back seat. "I decided it would be better for us if I brought you out here instead of the execution site." Light watched him with anticipation. "I'm going to kill you here, then kill myself."

"What?! What're you talking about dad?! You can't! That's crazy!" Light struggled helplessly against his restraints as Misa began to cry.

"You'd kill your only son for L?! If you want to die so bad, why don't you kill yourself?! If you do this, you're no different than Kira!" she shrieked.

"I am nothing like Kira! I am bound by my responsibilities as a parent and as chief of the NPA." Soichiro shot back. A shudder went down Eva's spine. Even knowing it was an act…it felt too real.

"Dad, she's right! Think about it: if we die here, the truth will never be revealed." Light watched his father reach for his gun and held back a sob. "Please dad! You have to let us escape!"

"It's too late! Either way, you'll be executed. At least with this, I'll be the one to do it." Soichiro hesitated for a moment before pushing the barrel of his revolver against Light's forehead. Eva's stomach turned at the sight. She had checked the gun at least five times before they left. She knew it couldn't kill Light, but it was still a horrifying scene.

"Please, stop! Dad, I'm not Kira!" Eva found herself shutting her eyes but immediately dug her fingernails into her legs to force them open. It was all too much to handle: Light's pleading, his frightened heavy breathing, the desperate clanking of his handcuffs, the tears streaming down his face. It was cruel.

"Amane, I'm going to die here with my son, but I have no reason to kill you. Do you understand what I'm saying? It's only a matter of time before the police locate this car. Then, they'll transport you to the original site, and execute you there." The sound of the revolver's hammer being cocked back was deafening. "Light, my son. From one murderer to another: I'll see you in hell."

"No, dad!"

"No, stop it!" Misa screamed. Eva jumped at the sound of the blank being fired and felt immense guilt at seeing Light's face twisted into a silent scream.

"Well?" L asked her.

"That was cruel." Eva responded through a fit of tears that was beginning to well up.

"Anything else?"

"It was genuine. I didn't get the sense that Light was lying about anything. Can I be done, now?" She wiped her wet eyes with the sleeves of her shirt and L nodded.

"Thank you." Eva ran back to her room and took the opportunity to fall into her bed and cry. After her sobbing had settled into occasional sniffling, she heard the door of the room open and felt someone sit slowly on the edge of her bed. She kept her face buried in the pillow, unwilling to show anyone what a mess she was. "I was afraid of this." L whispered to her. She turned from her stomach to her side and noticed him sitting with his back toward her, as if he knew that she wasn't comfortable being seen like this. "I told you not to call me a hero. I knew I wouldn't be able to live up to it." Eva sat up and stared at his back.

"If I hadn't asked you to end Light's confinement, how long would you have kept him in there?"

"As long as it took." L answered honestly.

"So, why pull this stunt? Why not just keep him locked up?" Eva saw L's shoulders shift uncomfortably under his shirt.

"It was important to you…to end his confinement." And just like that, Eva felt the wall that she had spent so much time and effort building to keep L out crumble. Any pain or stress that Light carried from this incident was on her shoulders, not L's. He was just trying to be considerate of her feelings. Eva moved closer to the black-haired detective and rested her head on his back. Her arms wrapped around his stomach, and he put his hand on top of hers.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?" he asked.

"For not being more understanding of your situation. I haven't been considering what's important to you…. You're a better person than I am, Ryuzaki."

"Of all the pedestals you've put me on, the fall from that one will be the ugliest." he joked.

"No…I mean it." Eva tightened her grip on him. "You're a good person. I'm sorry for making you feel like anything less."

"Light will be here in a few hours." L said, patting Eva's hand. "I'll let you rest before then."

"Okay." she whispered as she retreated back into the sheets. L gave her one more glance before standing up and leaving the room. The click of her door brought an emptiness that Eva wanted to drown out. She had wanted so much to grab his hand and pull him back into bed with her. She had wanted so much to beg him to hold her again. But instead, she had just watched him slowly walk out of the room, too afraid to speak up and acknowledge her feelings.


	22. Chapter 22

**Author's Note:** I had so much fun writing this chapter, but I'm looking at my outline for the next one and it's going to be so tedious. Long and tedious. Like, somewhere in the 6000 word area, at least. Help me through this, guys. Let's go on this journey together. Take my hand.

Thanks to Joyleaf21, Dracus7, and -279 for the reviews! I appreciate your feedback and thanks for answering my questions and letting me know what you enjoy. It's super helpful for the development of future chapters!

* * *

 **Chapter 22**

* * *

Eva awkwardly shifted her weight from one foot to the other as the task force assembled in the hotel suite. She nervously played with her hair, twirling a lock around her index finger until it pulled tight against her roots, then releasing it with a soft bounce of the newly developed curl. She inhaled deeply when Light walked in. It had been so hard to be this far from him for so long. She had missed her best friend deeply, and wanted nothing more than to run into his arms. She almost followed through on that instinct, stopping only when she saw Misa in close step behind him.

"Nice to see you, Light." L greeted cordially, walking up to the brown-haired boy, who responded with a polite smile and a preemptive outstretching of his hand to shake L's.

"Ryuzaki, I—" Light's sentence was cut short by the slap of a handcuff across his wrist. He stared at it for a moment, mouth hanging open, unsure of how to address this peculiar situation. He glanced over at Eva, who surely must have looked just as perplexed, and back at his wrist. L tightened the other cuff, on the end of a long, silvery chain, to his own wrist.

"You'll remain with me twenty-four hours a day." the detective explained.

"Is…is this really necessary?" Light asked, trying to remain calm.

"It's not easy for me either, you know." L grumbled.

"Wow…." Misa gasped, examining the handcuffs. "Looking at you, I never would have guessed. Are you on **that** side of the fence, Ryuzaki?" She playfully flipped her blonde hair over her shoulder and raised an eyebrow at L, who promptly responded with a glare.

"I'm not doing this because I want to."

"But Light belongs to me!" Misa argued, stomping a designer black boot against the carpeted floor. Eva took a moment to absorb the young model's perfect hair, flawless makeup, seamless dress, and the impeccable manner in which it complimented her body. She caught a reflection of herself in the nearby TV and began to chew on her bottom lip in discomfort. She didn't look anything like a model. Eva tucked her bangs behind her ear and the messy waves immediately disobeyed her, falling back to frame her face. The rest of her hair had been pulled back into clip. She pulled a loose strand out of her oversized sweatshirt, inherited from her dad. The Harvard logo on it was worn; the arms that once read 'veritas' had lost all lettering, aside from a lone 'v' and 'a.' Eva pulled the sleeves back to expose her hands and smoothed out the sweatshirt. She glanced at her black leggings, looking for any stray pieces of lint that may have decided to linger. Misa's clothes were solid black and perfect. Not a single stray piece of lint, not a tuft of fur from a pet, not even a small area of pilling. It was no wonder why Light had pursued this girl.

Eva returned her gaze to the model. Her fixation on clothes was pointless. Even if Eva went out and bought a wardrobe full of designer clothes, she seriously doubted she could compete with Misa. Eva had naturally wide hips, and if it weren't for the cancer, she believed she might have a chance at obtaining the gift of curves. She envied Misa's body: her large breasts, her toned butt, and her general femininity. Eva hadn't seen that in herself in a long time. Every time she showered, she would stop before entering the tub to observe herself in the mirror. Her scar was the focal point. It was so deep—so noticeable. She hated letting it be visible, which of course meant covering her entire torso. Maybe she could get away with wearing a deep v-neck if she had a chest to show off. And god forbid the material of her shirts was too tight or too thin. You would be able to count her ribs from a mile away. Now that she thought about it, she wondered what Light ever saw in her to begin with.

"I don't want to share him with you!" Misa continue her tirade with a wag of her perfectly manicured finger. "If you're with him twenty-four-seven, then how are we supposed to go on dates together?"

"You can still go on dates, but it'll have to be the three of us." L replied.

"No way! Are you telling me we have to kiss in front of you and stuff?!"

"I'm not telling you to do anything…but, yes, I suppose I would be watching." he admitted. L glanced over at Eva's clearly distressed face as Misa continued to insult him. He could see how much the conversation pained her. "Light, please make Misa stop talking."

"Listen, Misa, that's enough." As soon as Light began to speak, Misa turned to him and listened as obediently as a well-trained dog. "The police have already established that you're the one that sent the tapes. So, you're lucky to even be here right now. They have every right to arrest you."

"Huh!? How can you even say that?!" Misa cried, holding her hand over her heart as if to ease some horrible pain deep within it. "Light, in case you forgot, I'm your girlfriend. Don't you trust your own soul mate?!"

"What do you mean soul mate?" Light asked with a sneer, clearly taken aback by her words. "You're the one who said you fell in love with **me** at first sight."

"Then why would you kiss me if you didn't have feelings for me?!" the blonde screeched through tears. "You took advantage of me?!"

"You kissed her?" Eva instinctively asked. It had always been a thought in the back of her mind, but Light had sworn to her that he hadn't been involved with Misa. She had prepared herself, as best she could, for the likelihood that he was lying, but the information still devastated her. Light met Eva's sullen eyes with a doleful look of his own.

"I don't know what I was thinking." he admitted in a shamed whisper.

"About this love at first sight," L quickly interrupted, "it happened in Aoyama on May twenty-second, didn't it?"

"Yea?" Misa asked, turning to him and sniffling a bit. "So, what?"

"Why did you choose to go to Aoyama on that date? Do you remember what you wore?" he continued.

"It's like I told you!" Misa replied defensively. "I just happened to go there! I don't know why! I don't remember how I felt, and I don't even know what I was wearing! Anyways, since when do I need a reason to hang out in Aoyama, huh!?"

"Yet, somehow, when you came back from Aoyama, you knew you were in love with some guy and that his name was Light Yagami." L challenged.

"Yes!"

"And you, yourself, have no idea how you came to know his name?"

"Yea?! So, what?!" Misa stepped close to L, nearly nose to nose with him, and Eva felt a wave of anger wash over her. Why did she have to stand so close to him? It was uncomfortable. It was…rude, probably. Right?

"Tell me, what would you do if Light was Kira? How would it make you feel?"

"Huh?" Misa took a step back and let out a blissful sigh. She turned on her heel and grabbed Light's arm, hugging it close as she pushed her face against his shoulder. "That would be wonderful! I mean, I've always been grateful to Kira for punishing the man who murdered my parents. So, if I found out that Light was actually Kira, that would be like a bonus for me! I think it would only make me love him even more. Even though that's like, practically impossible!"

"It's Kira, though." L cut in, his voice and face dripping with disdain. "You'd love him even more for that? I mean, wouldn't you be afraid? What if he tried to kill you?"

"You're talking about Light being Kira?" Misa asked with a giggle. "He wouldn't be scary at all! I'm a supporter of Kira, so if I found out that my Light was actually him, I'd try to find out how I could be helpful."

"Find out how to be helpful…what a curious choice in words." Eva mumbled under her breath. L and Light turned to her, catching her comment.

"I agree." L stated. He turned his attention back to Misa, narrowing his eyes in a glare. "Well, Misa, based on what you just told us, there can be no mistake that you **are** the second Kira. Though, you made it so painfully obvious, I don't really want to believe it."

"Whatever!" Misa argued like a child. "It's not believable because I'm not the second Kira, so, there!" She stuck her tongue out at L for the finishing touch.

"From now on you'll be under constant surveillance. Your life should return back to fairly normal, but all of your private and work affairs will be handled by Mr. Matsuda. He'll go by Matsui. Please don't blow his cover."

"This old guy is going to be my manager?! You can't be serious." the blonde complained with a pout.

"Aw!" Matsuda gasped, clearly heartbroken by the rejection. "What's wrong with me, Misa-Misa?! Is it the tie? Because I can get rid of—" Aizawa slapped his hand down on the coffee table, cutting Matsuda's rant short.

"Would you cut it out with all this dating, kissing, and Misa-Misa talk already?! This is the Kira investigation! Stop messing around!" Aizawa yelled.

"Sorry…." Matsuda squeaked out.

"No, it's alright." Aizawa replied through gritted teeth as he made his way around the table. "I just figured out what the problem is." Though Eva would never admit it out loud, it was somewhat satisfying watching Misa struggle against a police officer as she was forcibly escorted out of the room. Eva felt a bit of guilt when she found herself wishing a baton had been involved.

"Are you serious about her?" L asked, clearly suffering from Misa-related PTSD.

"No way." Light replied with a laugh, amused that anyone would even need to ask. "Like I told you, it's completely one sided."

"But you kissed her." Eva mumbled bitterly. Light opened his mouth to respond, but L quickly stepped in.

"Then could you pretend to be interested in her for the sake of the investigation?"

"You…want me to become **intimate** with her to gather information about the second Kira?" Light was visibly shook by the proposition.

"Yes." L reaffirmed. "I'm sure you could do it without arousing her suspicions. Not to mention, this is the main reason I agreed to release the two of you."

"Ryuzaki, as much as I want to help you, and as important as the Kira case is to me, I can't manipulate a woman's feelings like that." Light scrunched up his face in dissatisfaction. "Please try to understand. To me, exploiting another person's feelings for personal gain is unforgivable, and I won't allow myself to stoop that low." When the black-haired detective offered no response, Light raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong?"

"N-nothing. Yea, I suppose you're right." L agreed, snapping out of his own thoughts. "Let's get you updated on what's been happening since your confinement."

"Actually…." Light glanced over at Eva. "Can you give me a couple of minutes?"

"You remember I'm chained to you, right?" L asked as Light made his way to the small girl.

"Yea, trust me." Light replied with a roll of his eyes. "Eva, can we talk?"

"A-about what?" she asked with a nervous crack in her voice. Her eyes darted between the two men in an anxious, almost panicked fashion.

"I just—" Light let out a frustrated sigh when he noticed L leaning in, listening intently with a finger hooking his bottom lip.

"Go on." the sleep-deprived man coaxed. Light shook his head and reached for Eva's arm, gently pulling her toward a room. "You know I'll just be right behind you."

"Yea." Light said with a forced smile from the doorway. He examined the chain and the door, and leaned down to lay the chain flat on the ground. "That should do it."

"Do what?" The door was promptly slammed in L's face. The detective frowned, pulling on the chain and listening to it scrape against the bottom of the door. There was **just** enough space for it to slip under, and L regretted not opting for the much heavier links.

"What did you want to talk about?" Eva asked Light, seemingly more relaxed now that they were alone. She took a seat on the edge of her bed and rested her hands in her lap, examining his every facial expression. He looked genuinely remorseful, hurt even.

"I wanted to apologize…for the way that I treated you. I don't know what came over me." Light ran his fingers through his hair, stopping to clutch his bangs at the roots and holding his closed fist over one eye. "I keep trying to remember why I lied, why I even kissed Misa in the first place, but I can't. It's like there's this whole portion of my life that doesn't make any sense. I have no idea why I asked L to confine me."

"You wanted to prove you weren't Kira." Eva rationalized.

"But L had already said that if I were Kira, no amount of surveillance would prove that…remember?" Light sighed and crossed his arms, leaning against the door and staring off into the distance. "Everything up until Aoyama is clear as day, but after that…a lot of things don't make sense. They seem totally out of my character."

"Like what?" Eva asked, tilting her head to the side. She wasn't sure if Light was just trying to earn some sympathy, but if he was, it was working.

"Like why I let Misa into my house that night." Light scrunched up his face in thought. "Why didn't I just shut the door?"

"She's a beautiful woman?" Eva offered with a raise of her eyebrows. Light stared back with an incredulous look.

"She's not really my type."

"You don't have to pretend, Light."

"I'm not pretending." He took another deep breath. "I've been in love with you since…pretty much the day we met. I never felt that with anyone else. Not during dates, not during class, not even—" He cringed a bit when he thought about his kiss with Misa. "And I know I screwed that up, but what sucks the most is that I can't even remember why I did it." A breathy laugh left his throat. "Honestly…a part of me was disappointed when the gun shot a blank."

"Light! Don't say that!" Eva immediately stood and walked over to him, grabbing his hands in hers. "I was really upset, and I felt really betrayed, …and I can't say that I'm even totally over it now. But you should know our friendship is never under question."

"How could I know that? We didn't talk for a week before my confinement. We've never not talked for a week." Eva stared into Light's solemn eyes and pulled her arms around his torso. Her head rested against his chest and he happily returned her affection, burying his fingers in her hair.

"I'm sorry. I was just really upset."

"I don't blame you."

"Still friends?" It was a silly question, one that Eva had always asked in the past when she and Light would get into disagreements. Those moments were never full of tension. They were arguments filled with laughter, some shouting, and eccentric hand motions. They would loudly talk over each other until one person caved in a fit of silent giggles, presenting the other with an opportunity to declare victory. The victor would extend out the question as a gesture of good will, and the loser would graciously accept.

"Always." he whispered.

"You should probably get that update from L, now. You know he's commissioned an eight point five billion yen headquarters building for the investigation team, right?"

"Of course he has." Light groaned sarcastically. "How much is that in US dollars?"

"I think like seventy five million. The thing is huge! It's got two helicopters hidden on the roof!" If the jealousy hadn't taken over so quickly, Light would have stopped to ask himself why he felt the need to compete with L for Eva's attention. However, he was too busy trying to figure out how to outdo the world's greatest, and apparent multibillionaire, detective.


	23. Chapter 23

**Author's Note:** Okay, I was wrong about both the length and tediousness of this chapter. This was a relatively easy one to pump out. I have no idea why I expected it to be so bad. You can totally tell how excited I was to write it, right?

Thanks to Dracus7, -279, Survivor12-21-12, and Joyleaf21 for the reviews! I'm glad you guys are enjoying it. I'm trying to bake a little more personality into Light. I feel like when he's not being a psychotic mass murderer because he lost his memories, he's a fairly chill guy and that part of him isn't really explored in the anime or mange. Which makes sense. I mean, who want to see him be a normal teenager when he could be hanging out with gods of death? I think Eva is probably aware of her feelings for L to some extent. Like, I'm sure she's 100% aware of her crush, but maybe she doesn't quite recognize how serious it is? Or that it rises to the level of her feelings for Light, if not more? Maybe those things are just hard for her to reconcile in her mind because she hasn't known L that long, but she's known Light for yearrrrsss! Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy and let me know what you think!

* * *

 **Chapter 23**

* * *

 _August 2, 2004_

 _I should have been more sensitive to Light's feelings._

 _I feel terrible._

* * *

Light Yagami sneered at the sight before him. L and Eva had been in the corner of the room whispering and giggling like love sick puppies. It was enough to make him want to vomit…preferably all over L. Light bounced his leg in irritation and tried to refocus his attention to the case. A few arid clicks of his mouse were interrupted by a high-pitched voice.

"Light!" Misa sang as she skipped down the hall toward him. Light braced himself for the unwelcomed hug that he knew was coming and tried not to jerk away violently when Misa leaned down to throw her arms around his shoulders and bury her face into his hair. He cleared his throat and began to push his feet against the ground, moving the wheeled chair away from Misa's grasp. She clearly didn't get the hint and instead dropped down into his lap.

"Misa." Light uttered in annoyance, trying to gently usher her off his lap.

"When are we finally going to go on our date, Light?" the blonde whined, tracing circles in his chest with her black fingernails. Light put his hand on hers, lifting it away from him and making strong, assertive eye contact.

"We're not going on a date."

"But!" Misa had no further objection. Light often wondered if she would even know how to form one. Unluckily for him, she never had to. L came rushing in to her defense.

"There's no need to be rude, Light." the panda-eyed detective said. "There's some cake upstairs." _Bastard._ Light surprised himself with the thought. He had been in an uncharacteristically negative mood lately, and he wasn't quite sure why. Sure, he was known to be a bit apathetic from time to time, but never hostile, even internally. It didn't quite make sense to him. Maybe it was the jealousy, or maybe even his long confinement, but Light had always thought that if he got to meet the world's greatest detective, he would enjoy working with someone of L's intellect. Instead, Light felt this deep-seated resentment and dislike every time he looked at L. He couldn't pinpoint why, exactly, at least not always, but it was definitely there.

"Yay! Let's go, Light!" Misa jumped to her feet and began to tug on Light's arm to lift him up. It was clearly a futile attempt. Light was easily twice her weight. He turned to Eva, giving her a look of despair as he usually did in situations like these. He would do it in class when a student would say something particularly stupid. He would do it in the quad when they overhead a particularly juicy piece of gossip. But this time was a bit different: instead of returning his look desperation with a quirky smile of her own, she was preoccupied in another conversation with L.

"Fine." Light grumbled, standing up and tugging on the chain that connected him to L. The trio made their way up to Misa's room and Light mentally checked out of the conversation. He locked his fingers behind his head and plopped down on the couch, trying to drown out Misa and L's voices. It was exhausting being around their bickering. It was exhausting seeing Eva with L and not understanding how he was able to self-sabotage to such a soul crushing degree.

"What's wrong with you?" Light finally snapped when the argument was becoming unbearable. He lowered his arms and turned to L. "I thought coming here was supposed to help us catch Kira, but since we've been here you don't seem all that motivated to me."

"Not motivated?" L repeated. "You're right. Actually, I'm depressed." He sunk his fork into a piece of cake with a heavy sigh.

"Depressed? What for?" Light crossed his arms, suspicious of the claim.

"Well…." L took a bite of the cake and began to chew slowly. "Truthfully, all this time I thought you were Kira and my entire case hinged on that fact. I guess I just can't get past the fact that my deduction was wrong. Although having said that, I'm still suspicious of you. That's why we're wearing these." L lazily lifted his handcuffed wrist and jangled the chain a bit. Another deep sigh left his lips. "We also know that Kira can control people's actions. Which means its highly likely that Kira was controlling your actions so that I would suspect you." He set down the plate of cake and pulled his knees up to his chest, resting his hands on them. "If we assume that both you and Misa were being controlled by him, then everything we've observed so far makes a lot more sense." Light's eyes narrowed in distrust.

"If that's what you think then Misa and I were both Kira during the time we were being controlled, right?"

"Yes. I don't think I could've been wrong about that." L affirmed. "The two of you are Kira. If what I'm thinking is correct, then when your confinement began, you were Kira. I don't believe it's coincidence that as soon as you were imprisoned all of the killings stopped. Until then, everything pointed to you being Kira. But after two weeks, criminals actually began dying again. Based on that evidence, I can only conclude that Kira's power passes between people."

"That's an interesting idea." Light admitted. "But if it's true, then it'll be nearly impossible for us to catch Kira."

"Yes, that's why I'm overwhelmed." L admitted grouchily. "Even if we catch someone under his control, they'll likely lose their powers and any memories of their crimes. So, in the end, pursuing them becomes futile."

"But at this point, we have no way of knowing if that's the case. Cheer up, would you?" Light was growing more and more impatient with L's self pity. Light didn't like to dwell on things that couldn't be changed, or entertain disastrous hypotheticals that had a flimsy basis in reality. He liked to get things done.

"Cheer up? No, I'm sorry. I can't." L hooked his bottom lip with his index finger and exhaled. "At this point it's probably better if I stop trying all together. By chasing Kira so desperately we're all just putting our lives in danger for no reason. It's just a waste of time." Light couldn't believe his ears. He had been confined for what felt like decades, and just because L's pet theory fell apart, he was ready to give up? Ready to throw away Light's confinement? Ready to throw away a cause that Eva felt so passionately about? The brown-haired boy stood up and sighed.

"Ryuzaki."

"Huh?" The detective was met with a punch to the jaw. When Light had swung, he had just thought about hitting him as hard as he could. He had failed to calculate the man's trajectory, or the fact that he would be dragged along, courtesy of the handcuffs. Light stumbled, but managed to stay on his feet. L groaned and lifted himself to a sitting position. "You know, that really hurt."

"That's enough. You don't feel like doing anything just because your genius deduction was wrong and I'm not Kira."

"Fine, perhaps I phrased it the wrong way." L grumbled, wiping a bit of blood from his bottom lip. "I meant it would be pointless for us to make a move, so we shouldn't even bother."

"If we don't chase Kira, he'll never be caught! Is that what you want?!" Light asked, wanting him to own up to the implications of his statement. When L offered no response, Light took it upon himself to shake one out of him. He stepped forward and grabbed L's shirt, lifting the man to his feet "If you were just going to give up then why did you involve all of those innocent people?! More importantly, what was the point of putting me behind bars and risking Eva's life?!"

"I understand." L whispered. "Still, whatever the reason: an eye for an eye."

"What?" Light asked as the detective began to slip from his hands. He didn't have much time to evaluate the statement as L's foot came crashing into the bottom of his jaw. Light flew back, taking L with him, and they both tumbled over the couch, knocking it to its side.

"It's not my deduction that was wrong." L growled between heavy breaths. "The fact is, I can say that Light Yagami is Kira and Misa Amane is the second Kira, but it won't be enough to solve the case, and that's why I'm a little depressed. Is that so unreasonable?"

"Yes!" Light yelled. "Yes, it is! You should hear yourself! It's as if you won't be satisfied unless I **am** Kira."

"Well…there may be some truth to that." L admitted with a sly smirk. "In fact, now that you mention it, I think you're right. I think I wanted you to be Kira." _Son of a bitch._ Light punched L square in the nose, wanting nothing more than to forcibly tear that smug smirk off his face. "I'm a lot stronger than I look, you know?" Light lost track of the interaction. Kicks, punches, and elbows were thrown until a small pair of hands wrapped themselves around Light's bicep and pulled.

"Stop it!" Eva yelled. "What the hell is the matter with you two?!" Light got off of L and stood up, staring down at Eva. "Light…why would you attack him like that?"

"Are you serious?" Light spat in annoyance. "Everything that he just said and you're seriously going to take his side?!" He glared at Eva and her gaze suddenly softened.

"I'm not taking—"

"You are, Eva." They shared an emotion look for a while. Full of anger, remorse, sorrow, pain, and a thousand other things that they were both feeling.

"I'm sorry." Eva finally spoke up. "Come on." She grabbed both Light and L's arms and began to pull them to the elevator. "Let's go downstairs and get you two cleaned up."

* * *

Light winced as Eva dabbed the cuts on his face and fists with rubbing alcohol.

"Sorry, I know it hurts." she whispered with an apologetic smile. "I'm almost done." Light nodded, not quite in the mood to make small talk. He had never been the type to lose control like that…at least, not before he met Eva. "I'm sorry, Light." Her words suddenly brought him out of his thoughts.

"For what?" he asked. He knew the answer, but wanted to hear her say it. He needed to know that she knew.

"For not taking your side. You went through a lot with the confinement and L's accusations, and it wasn't fair that after all of that, he just wanted to give up. I should have understood your anger from the beginning." It was comforting to hear. Light opened his mouth to speak, but Eva continued. "I should know my best friend better than that." Best friend…. It wasn't quite the label that Light had hoped for at this stage with Eva, but it was definitely better than when she was barely talking to him. "Forgive me?"

"Of course." he quickly agreed. She smiled and began gently wrapping his split knuckles with gauze.

"I promise, from now on, I'll be more considerate of your feelings."

"I appreciate that." There was something in her smile that gave Light hope. Maybe he hadn't burned that bridge with Eva for good. Maybe it was just strong enough for him to cross over just once more.


	24. Chapter 24

**Author's Note:** 6 more weeks of school left, guys. We got this. We're going to make it out of the other end alive even if it kills us. ...wait.

Thanks to -279, UmiNight Angel Neko, and Dracus6 for the reviews! I love that you guys have these reactions to the stories. If I can get you guys to mumble 'omg what a bitch' at least once to yourself as you're reading, about any character, I feel like I've done my job. FYI - I constantly mumble that about Matsuda, even as I'm writing his lines. I totally have the option of not making him a total chore, but I feel like I gotta stay true to the story.

* * *

 **Chapter 24**

* * *

 _October 1, 2004_

 _I helped! I did it! I can't believe it, but I really did it! I was so scared that I was going to be a burden during this whole investigation. I would have been mortified if I failed to contribute anything._

 _To be fair…it really was Light that did all the heavy lifting. Maybe I shouldn't be so excited about this._

 _I'll figure out some way to be helpful to L!_

* * *

Eva's laugh filled the silent room, echoing off the tall, marbled walls of the headquarters.

"What's so funny?" Light asked, spinning around in his chair to observe her. Eva leaned back against the couch and ran her fingers through her black hair, sighing with relief.

"I am." she replied through giggles. Light raised an eyebrow at her, smiling and letting out a soft exhale through his nose. He was happy to see her happy again. She had been sullen and serious for so long now. That is, when she wasn't in bed sick because of chemo. It was like things were finally getting back to normal. Before they had to deal with cancer, and chemo, and— "I'm just laughing at how paranoid I've been over the Kira case." _O…that's right—the Kira case._

"What do you mean?" L asked, crouching backwards in his chair. His hands were gripping the backrest and his eyes were peeking over the top like a curious cat. Light wondered if he ever got tired of being so…immature.

"My dad texted me in a panic yesterday because the CEO of one of the companies he invests in died of a heart attack. I just assumed it was Kira, so I was trying to look up information about it." Eva returned her eyes back to the laptop and smiled as she scrolled through documents. "But, it totally makes sense. The guy was in his late sixties and significantly overweight. I think dad's just upset because the stock plummeted."

"Did you find out anything else about the CEO?" L inquired. Eva's smile fell as she began searching through her data.

"Um…nothing of note. I mean, he honestly just seemed like a regular guy. No scandal in his life. Wife, two kids, well respected. He went to a good school, came into upper management, got selected by the board of directors to be CEO about four years ago. Kept the company stable and saw a decent rise in profits quarter after quarter. The company came under fire a few years ago for accounting errors that cost their customers some money, but he stepped in almost immediately and corrected the action and issued returns to everyone." Eva looked at L. "Why?"

"Nothing…." L's eyes fell as he entered a trance like state. "You're right, it's probably not related to Kira." Light nodded in agreement and began to spin his chair back to his computer. He stopped for a moment and frowned.

"Hey, Eva."

"Hm?"

"…do you remember those programs you were telling me about? The ones that your dad headed for mass data collection?"

"Y-yea…." Eva responded nervously, not quite sure what Light's plan was. He smirked and she felt a pit grow in her stomach. That was the smirk that often got them in trouble when they were younger. "Why?"

"Any chance you have access to one of them?"

"Access to BLARNEY? No, not a chance in hell." Eva replied with a laugh. "Besides, why would you need something like that?"

"I guess I don't, technically." Light mumbled, turning back to his computer. "I guess I can try to collect the data manually, but I'm not sure how far I'll get with just publicly available information—or how fast I'll be able to analyze it."

"Analyze what?" Eva asked, setting down her laptop and turning her full attention to the brunette.

"Just some economic and industry data." he said casually. A brief moment of silence followed and Eva sighed.

"I can talk to my dad, see if he can pull any strings, but the program is under NSA control. I'm not really sure what he'll be able to do." She gave a hopeful look to L. "I don't suppose you have any contacts within the NSA that would be interested in showing their support to one of the USA's closest allies?"

"I can make a few calls." L agreed.

"Type up the filters you want to search by, Light. Because I can promise you right now that they won't be handing over program access, not even to L, and not even to stop Kira." Eva said before heading out of the room with her cellphone to her ear.

* * *

"Well?" Eva asked, leaning over Light's shoulder. "I got you the data. Analyze it."

"I have no idea what I'm even looking at…." Light groaned, scrolling through the seemingly impossible number of entries. "I didn't even ask for half this stuff."

"Yea, the filters aren't perfect." Eva mumbled. "Also, I think you underestimated the amount of data the NSA collects. Here, move over." Eva pushed Light out of the chair and sat in front of the computer. "Okay, what kind of information are you looking for?"

"Okay, start with stock information." Light said, observing her speedy keystrokes.

"You can filter it by major world indices." she explained. "Are there any here that you know you don't need to look at?"

"Yea, delete those last four."

* * *

After nearly four hours of sorting through data, Eva collapsed on the couch and closed her eyes, falling asleep nearly instantly. Light smiled at the small girl. He knew she was exhausted hours ago, but refused to acknowledge it so that she could help with his project. It was quintessential Eva—ready to sacrifice for anyone. Light scrolled through the data one last time. Her efforts were definitely going to pay off.

"Ryuzaki, I know you're still depressed," he mocked, "but come here for a second." L lazily pushed his chair toward Light and stared at the monitor with sleepy eyes. "I found 12 other deaths similar to the heart attack Eva was describing. It can't be a coincidence. They were all prominent business men whose companies were industry leaders. As expected, their deaths had a significant impact on the market. But it seems like while other companies were trending down, the Yotsuba Group was able to maintain profits, increase the value of stock, and expand operations. In other words: their deaths have worked in Yotsuba's favor." He turned toward the suddenly perky detective with a small smirk. "Your thoughts? Based on this, I can only conclude that Kira is supporting Yotsuba."

"Hm…it could be." L responded with a nod. He began chewing on his nails again. "But if what you're saying is true, we can assume that punishing criminals is not this Kira's true intent."

"Right." Light agreed. "Punishing criminals is a diversion for him. It obscures the fact that he's actually killing people for the benefit of his company. So, are you feeling a bit more motivated now?"

"How did you know to look for this?" L inquired.

"Hm? Well, I just had a hunch." Light shrugged. "I guess I don't exactly have a high opinion of most people, so I figured they would be driven to act on greed."

"I see, and you needed BLARNEY data to acquire financial information on several of these companies as they're privately held." L completed the thought. Light nodded in agreement and spun his chair to look over at Eva napping on the couch. A small smile crept across his lips.

"Like I said, it was just a hunch. Eva really did the heavy lifting."

"Did she? Impressive." the young detective whispered to himself.

* * *

 _October 2, 2004_

 _Sometimes it scares me how easily L can lie to people. It's like he never really trusts anyone or lets them in. Every interaction is a calculated analysis with a contingency plan in place._

 _Is it because of who he is or is he really so suspicious of everyone?_

 _I wonder what my tests have been and if I've passed them in his eyes._

* * *

Eva's ears perked up at the sound of seemingly panicked yelling. She shut her books and stepped out of her bedroom. She gripped the railing of the balcony and looked down to the lobby. All of the investigators stood in a circle arguing—save for L, who just sat at his computer. She made her way down the stairs and grabbed Light's arm.

"What's going on?"

"The police finally caved to Kira." Light replied with a scoff.

"What?" Eva asked, still not quite understanding the predicament.

"Is there any way I can keep my job and still help with the investigation in my spare time?" Aizawa asked, turning to L.

"Light, what's—"

"There isn't." L spoke up, cutting Eva off. He popped a cherry into his mouth and chewed. "If you decide to remain a police officer then please don't come back here."

"The police offered an ultimatum to anyone working with L." Light explained in a hushed tone.

"O!" Eva turned to Aizawa, suddenly remembering his wife and young daughter. "O…."

"But," Aizawa took a deep breath, "you know I won't leak any informa—"

"I won't be sharing any of our information." L asserted. "You're free to pursue Kira on your own if you want to, but I don't think it's fair to your families to burden them just to continue this. I can't see how that's a good idea."

"No one here is going to blame you for quitting." Soichiro comforted the young officer.

"Right, we all understand why you have to do this." Matsuda agreed.

"But the chief has a family, too!" Aizawa argued.

"Our situations are completely different." Soichiro added.

"Dammit…to quit now—I said I was prepared to die if that's what it took. What kind of a friend would I be to Ukita if I quit now? I became a detective so I could catch the bad guys! Not run away!" Eva took a step forward to offer her own words of comfort, but stopped when she noticed Watari's lettering appear across the monitors.

"Ryuzaki," Watari said, "early on in the investigation you specifically told me that if a task force member were to lose their job under any circumstances I should make preparations to ensure that their family's financial future was secure. If you recall, a trust was set aside for that very purpose. I'm a little curious as to why you're withholding this information."

"This is not the time or place, Watari." L corrected.

"I'm sorry." And just as quickly, the lettering disappeared.

"You set up a trust?" Eva asked, immediately seeing through L's test and feeling a little disappointed.

"No way! So, all this time we had nothing to worry about? I can't believe you did that!" Matsuda exclaimed happily. Eva tuned out the rest of his sentence and took another step toward L.

"You have to understand how that changes everything, right? You can't possibly expect people to answer the same way without that knowledge." Eva searched his face for any sign of understanding, but L refused to meet her gaze.

"Is she right?" Aizawa asked, also ignoring Matsuda's ignorant bliss and glaring at L. "Was that some kind of a test to see how committed I was to this investigation?"

"I-i-it's not like that, Aizawa." Soichiro immediately stepped in, trying to calm the rising tensions. "Ryuzaki's just not the type to say things directly. You should know that by now."

"I was testing you." L admitted openly. "I wanted to see which one you would choose." He kept his eyes glued to the monitor in front of him. Eva shook her head and sighed.

"I'll be upstairs." she whispered to Light. The arguing exploded and Eva glanced over the balcony one last time to catch L's expression as Aizawa berated him. He looked…sad. Genuinely sad. Eva sympathized with the man, but she couldn't help but to feel like he had brought it upon himself.

* * *

Eva's eyes flickered open in the middle of the night. She propped herself up on her elbow and looked around the dark room. Was it a noise that had woken her? She clumsily groped for the bedside lamp and when her fingers finally found the chain switch, she pulled on it hard, letting light flood the room. A scream immediately left her and she threw a pillow at the figure in front of her.

"It's me!" the man called out as he swatted the pillow away from his face. Eva squinted her eyes, letting them adjust to the light.

"Ryuzaki?" His shaggy black hair, tired, baggy eyes, and hunched over figure slowly came into focus. She glanced around the room again. "Where's Light?"

"I handcuffed him to the stairs while he was sleeping." the detective admitted.

"What?" Eva asked, unconvinced by his nonchalant tone. "Why?"

"I wanted to talk to you…alone." He shyly shoved his hands into his pockets and scuffed the balls of his right foot against the carpeted floor, avoiding eye contact the entire time.

"Actually…I wanted to apologize for what I said." Eva stated. She scooted over on the bed and patted the area next to her, inviting L to sit. He gave her a quizzical look but crawled into the bed. "I know your position is different from the average person's. You can't really afford to trust anyone, and I'm sure that builds up certain habits that I might disagree with on face value. I just…." Eva bit her lip, trying to figure out how she wanted to construct her sentence. "I just wish you felt comfortable enough with someone to let them in and talk through this stuff." She turned to L and smiled. "Whether it's Watari, or my mom, or Light, or whoever. Maybe it could avoid an ugly scene like that in the future."

"What about you?" L asked, meeting her gaze. The suggestion took her off guard.

"Yea, if you feel comfortable enough to share things with me. I just…I didn't think you did."

"Why?"

"You wouldn't even look at me when I was asking you about the trust today." Eva responded with a forced smile.

"I told you, I'm not—"

"Not a hero. I know." Eva finished for him. She laughed and rested her head on his shoulder. "I don't think heroes have to be perfect, you know? I have had plenty of heroes who behaved in less than desirable ways, but they always tried to do better." Eva yawned and glanced at the digital clock by her bed. "You should probably get downstairs before Light wakes up." She lifted her head to face L and suddenly felt his lips on hers. It was exhilarating, mystifying, magical, and when the explosion of butterflies began to settle in her stomach, the anxiety seeped in. Did her breath smell okay? Was her hair a mess? Did her face look droopy from sleep? The thoughts consumed her as L pushed her down onto the bed and climbed on top of her. She took in a deep breath as his lips moved to her neck and the brand new sensation of his soft bites blurred her thoughts. "R-ryu—" Eva barely managed to stutter out the first few syllables of his name as his hands moved down her sides and tightly gripped her hips. She gasped as she felt his erection grind between her legs and instinctively wrapped them around his waist. His lips devoured hers again as his hands slid up her shirt and squeezed her bare breasts. A deep, animalistic groan left L's throat and Eva suddenly felt like prey. She tore her lips away from his and grabbed his hands, pulling them out of her shirt. "Ryuzaki, stop." she breathed out.

"What's wrong?" he asked, hovering over her. She gently nudged him off and sat up, running a hand through her hair.

"I don't…." she paused, unable to properly draw the words from the haze in her head. "I feel like I barely know you, and I don't want to…you know, with someone I barely know."

"I see." L responded in his usual monotone. Eva shifted her attention to straightening out the pillows and sheets on the bed, and he helped her. After the last wrinkle had been smoothed, she fully expected L to leave—regardless of how much she wanted him to stay. She had mentally prepared herself for the rejection. After all, she had just rejected him. It was only fair, right? "What do you want to know?" L finally asked, sitting down on the bed with his back toward Eva and his legs hanging off the side.

"Really?" Eva asked timidly, crawling onto the bed with her eyes glued to him. L locked his hands behind his head and laid back, staring up at her with an unreadable poker face. "What about Light?"

"He can't pick a lock."

"That's true…." Eva admitted, recalling the countless times she had forgotten her keys at home and watched Light struggle to pick the lock of her front door. It always ended with Eva waiting for her parents' return at Light's house. "Okay," she started with a small smile. "tell me about your childhood."


	25. Chapter 25

**Author's Note:** We did it guys. We got through finals and the semester is over and we kept our 4.0 and we're going to collectively nap for a week. Nap with me in solidarity. Since it took me so long to post a new chapter, I made this one extra long. I hope you guys enjoy!

Thanks to -279, Survivor12-21-12, Dracus6, and VampireSiren for the reviews! I love your reviews and I love hearing your thoughts and you keep me going and sane so I appreciate it.

* * *

 **Chapter 25**

* * *

 _October 7, 2004_

 _L's been opening up a lot to me. He introduced me to his…well, he calls them employees, but I don't think that's the case. I think they're his friends. I really like them! Who knew criminals could be so much fun?_

 _I just wish L would exercise a bit more bedside manner, especially with Matsuda. That constant degradation is going to get to the poor guy someday._

* * *

"Are you almost done, Eva?" Mogi asked the small girl. Eva hastily shuffled the last few papers in her hand together and stapled the top.

"All done!" she replied, handing the full stack of documents to the investigator. "I wasn't quite as fast as you. How do you do it?"

"Lots of practice." Mogi replied with a small smile. He walked across the large lobby-like workspace, carrying the stack of papers to L, and set them down in front of him. "Here are the profiles on all of Yotsuba's employees and contractors."

"That's over three hundred thousand people…." Light whispered in awe, eyeing the impressive pile. "How did you two put this together so quickly?"

"Mogi and Eva have been incredibly efficient from the start." L chimed in, allowing the girl a brief glance of approval.

" **Mogi's** been incredibly efficient from the start." Eva corrected with a chuckle. " **Eva** had to learn through trial and error. Thank god Mogi's also incredibly patient."

"Ryuzaki!" Matsuda suddenly yelled, jumping up from his chair. "Please tell me: is there anything that I can do to help with the investigation? Besides the manager thing."

"So…you really want to be useful?" L asked in a hushed and secretive manner. Eva couldn't help but to lean into the conversation in anticipation of what kind of project he would have for Matsuda. Research? Analytics? Whatever it was, his tone of voice made it sound so intriguing.

"Yes!" Matsuda replied eagerly.

"Then could you get me another cup of coffee?" The delivery was flat, and for a moment Eva felt disappointed for Matsuda—quickly recognizing that her sympathy was nothing compared to the look of sheer discontent that twisted across the young officer's face. "And for our guests over there as well." Eva followed L's motion to the couches behind her and gasped when she saw the two blondes, a male and a female, sitting nonchalantly with crossed legs and bored expressions.

"Who are they?" Matsuda asked, seemingly just as surprised by their presence as Eva.

"Wait a second, who let them in?!" Light suddenly demanded.

"Those two are the newest members of the task force." L explained. Eva stood up as the blondes did, and secretly admired the woman. She was so beautiful. Her silky blond hair fell elegantly against her shoulders. Her skin was flawless. Eva was sure no matter how close she got, she would never be able to see a pore. Her red lipstick had an irresistible shine to it, and her clothes were just as eye catching. Her pencil skirt hugged her hips as she took graceful steps in her black heeled pumps. She straightened out her matching grey blazer with her gloved hands and turned slightly to the man by her side, allowing him to speak first.

"The name's Aiber." the blonde man said. Eva had been so preoccupied with the woman, once again feeling intimidated and wholly inadequate, that she failed to notice how incredibly handsome the man was as well. His chiseled jaw, perfectly structured face, gorgeous blue eyes, and faint smirk made her feel weak in the knees. He didn't need the half million yen tailored suit to accentuate his muscular body, but it certainly didn't hurt. Eva smiled nervously when he turned his eyes on her. "I'm a conman. How's it going?" And just like that, her knees regained their strength and tingling sensation in her body dissipated into disappointment.

"I'm Wedy, and I'm a thief by trade." the woman said in a far less friendly manner.

"A conman and a thief?" Soichiro asked, unintentionally mimicking Eva's disappointment.

"That's right." L confirmed. "Aiber is a lifelong conman. His unparalleled…uh, 'social skills' allow him to befriend and gain the trust of any target. We'll use him for infiltration. As for Wedy, she's a thief who specializes in cracking high-end security systems. As proof of that, she was able to enter the building without setting off a single alarm."

"Wow…." Eva whispered, her disappointment turning back into admiration.

"You expect us to work with criminals?" Soichiro asked, still un-swayed.

"Yes, that's correct. However, these two have never been caught, so it's unlikely they'll be killed by Kira. Think of them as professionals of the underworld."

"I understand." Light spoke up. "To investigate Yotsuba, we're going to need the help of people like this."

"Ugh…still." Soichiro bemoaned.

"I'm surprised at you, L." Aiber smirked, eyeing the chain attaching the detective to Light. "If I had the choice to put someone in handcuffs, it wouldn't be this kid." He playfully moved his eyes from Light to Eva and winked at her. It took her a moment to register the thought, and she began to blush when the innuendo set in, earning a chuckle from the conman.

"Leave her alone, Aiber. We haven't been here for two minutes and you're already trying to glom onto some poor, unsuspecting girl." Wedy chastised, stepping around the conman and making her way to Eva. "Ignore him. He's not a malicious misogynist. Just a stupid one."

"I think you're my hero…." Eva whispered back to Wedy, earning a small smile in return for her compliment. This woman was incredible.

* * *

 _October 8, 2004_

 _I love him. I finally know. I was so unsure for so long, but I can say it with confidence now: I love him. He's so amazing, and he trusts me to make decisions for myself. I love him!_

* * *

Eva scrolled through the compiled lists of deaths in connection with Yotsuba trying to pull out any patterns that might have been missed. She had been successful in tuning out the surrounding conversation to focus on her task until the monitors of L's computer beeped and Watari's voice came through. She set down the laptop and turned on the couch, gripping the back rest and observing the signature Cloister Black W.

"Ryuzaki?"

"Yes, what is it?" L asked.

"Detective Eraldo Coil has just received a private request to investigate and reveal the identity of L."

"What?" Eva asked, jumping to her feet and running over to L's side. "Isn't Eraldo Coil supposedly second only to you in his investigative abilities?"

"Who would send such a request?" Soichiro probed, joining Eva. The screen switched to a profile of a Yotsuba employee.

"The man who sought out Coil's services is Masahiko Kida, the Vice President of the Rights and Planning department of the Yotsuba Group's headquarters in Tokyo." Watari explained.

"So, it is Yotsuba!" Soichiro growled.

"We know that Yotsuba must be linked to Kira. If they're trying to find out L's identity it's probably because they want to kill him and need that information to do it." Light speculated.

"This isn't good…." Eva mumbled.

"We're already short-handed as it is, and now we have to worry about Coil, too." Soichiro agreed. Eva watched L eat cake, not bothering to engage in the conversation. It upset her. How could he be so calm about this?

"Aren't you worried?" she asked, smacking his shoulder softly with the back of her hand.

"Hm?" L asked innocently, turning to her with a face full of cake. He chewed a bit more, but decided to continue the conversation with his mouth full when he noticed her distressed look. "It's quite alright. The detective known as Eraldo Coil is me."

"What?" she asked, squinting at him with incredulity.

"It's quite simple, really. Three of the greatest detectives in the world, L, Coil, and Deneuve, they're all actually me. It's been my experience that people who try to find me usually fall for this." L swallowed and picked up a strawberry from his plate, turning to the surrounding members of the task force and lowering his voice to a whisper. "I'll give you this strawberry if you keep it a secret, okay?" Eva, Light, and Soichiro kept their squinted eyes and furrowed brow, but Mogi leaned forward, accepting the berry and putting it in his pocket.

"What?" Eva asked again, bewildered by the bizarre exchange.

"I'm impressed as always, Ryuzaki." Light continued, either having not caught the interaction or choosing not to address it, already accustomed to L's bizarre antics. When Eva finally had moved on past her confusion, she too had to admit it was impressive. L was always one step ahead of the game.

"Wedy, Aiber." L motioned the criminals over. "Aiber, I'll need you to assume the role of Eraldo Coil to get close to Kida."

"Easy enough." Aiber replied.

"Wedy, we'll need footage of everything. Can you place bugs and access cameras from Yotsuba's security system?"

"Is that all?" Wedy asked confidently.

"Yes." L replied. "At this point, it's safe to assume that Kira and the Yotsuba group are connected in some way. If we're going to investigate Yotsuba to determine who holds Kira's power, and if there's more than one person who holds this power, we need a clear understanding quickly. We cannot let anyone from Yotsuba figure out that we are investigating them. Please realize that if they do notice, it means we won't be able to catch Kira."

"I can't imagine how they would learn with Wedy and Aiber doing the legwork." Eva replied with a smile.

"Yes, but due to the small size of the investigation team, there is a chance that others might have to get involved. If this is the case, please be sure not to act impulsively out of panic or haste, and don't take matters into your own hands." L's instructions were cut short by another beep of the monitor behind him.

"Ryuzaki." Watari spoke.

"Yes, what is it?" L asked over his shoulder, unconcerned and wanting to return to his preparations.

"I have just received an emergency signal from Matsuda's belt."

"Ugh, where is he?" L groaned.

"It seems that it's coming from within the head office of the Yotsuba Group." Watari replied hesitantly.

"Yikes." Eva replied.

"…disregard everything I just said." L grumbled. "We'll need to rethink our entire strategy. Matsuda, you **idiot**." L stared up at the ceiling in thought for a moment before grabbing his phone and dialing. He switched the phone to speaker and waiting through what seemed like an eternity of ringing.

"Hello?" Matsuda finally answered from the other end.

"Yo! Matsui!" L exclaimed into the phone in a totally different, slightly goofy, voice. "It's me, Asahi. It's been a while buddy."

"Asahi! Yea, it's been a long time." he replied nervously.

"It doesn't sound like you're out right now. Don't tell me you're home already?"

"Yea…ha…."

"So, you by yourself?" L pushed.

"Yea…I'm by myself." Matsuda voice was clearly shaking. "What's up?" L muted the phone and looked up at the surrounding members.

"He's not with Misa Amane. Matsuda must be by himself right now." Everyone nodded in understanding and L unmuted the phone. "So, do you wanna like, go out drinking tonight?"

"Huh? Right now? O, sorry, I'll have to pass tonight."

"Aww, what's the matter? Don't tell me your wallet is **in trouble** again."

"Y-yea, that's right. **Big troubles** …with money. You know me way too well!" Matsuda nervously giggled.

"Well, that's too bad. Guess I'll drag you out some other time, alright? See ya buddy." L ended the phone call and sighed. "Can we just leave him?"

"RyuzakI!" Eva scolded.

"I know." L quickly waved his hand, silently retracting his previous statement, albeit with a pout.

"Dammit." Light grunted, hanging up his cell.

"What?" Eva asked.

"Misa's cellphone is off right now. I left her a voicemail and told her to get back to me as soon as she can." the brunette replied.

"What are you planning to do, Ryuzaki?" Soichiro asked.

"Well, we do have to consider that if Matsuda dies our suspicions about the Yotsuba Group will be confirmed." L entertained the hypothetical again. Eva frowned. It seemed like less of a hypothetical and more of a serious suggestion each time he brought it up. "Let's just watch the situation for the time being." As the other returned to their desks, Eva stayed behind with crossed arms and continued glaring at L. "What?"

"If you don't do everything in your power to try and bring Matsuda back here alive, I'll never forgive you." she threatened. L opened his mouth to joke about the situation but decided against it when he noticed the look on her face. She was serious.

"Okay." he agreed.

* * *

Time dragged by excruciatingly slowly as the task force waited for something to happen. Everyone jumped to their feet when Light's phone began to ring.

"Misa?" he answered. "Misa, you're not with Matsuda at the moment, are you?" He waited a few more seconds before turning to the room. "Misa's just received a call from Matsuda."

"Tell her to hold up the phone so that we can listen in as well." L instructed. Light nodded, conveying the message and turning his phone on to speaker. Eva, Soichiro, and Mogi moved in closer to him and L, listening intently for the newest development.

"Misa Misa! When you're finished filming, head over to the Yotsuba Group office. It's still tentative, but there's a chance you may be able to appear in Yotsuba's commercials! We're working it out now." Matsuda said excitedly over the phone.

"What?! Are you for real?!" Misa exclaimed. "You're amazing, Matsui! So, that's what you've been up to all this time. Don't worry, we're wrapping up soon!"

"Great! It's just a short trip by taxi." Matsuda ended. L grabbed Light's sleeve and tugged softly.

"Huh?" Light asked, leaning down closer to L.

"Listen to me, Light. There is a **chance** that we might be able to save Matsuda, but we won't be able to do it without Misa's help. She'll listen to you and do anything you say, won't she?"

"What do you need?" Light hesitantly agreed to the implied terms of L's question. He had always been morally opposed to toying with someone's affections to obtain some ends, but maybe saving a life was a rare instance in which it could be justified.

"If Misa can coordinate with some of the other models at her agency, we can try to lure them out of Yotsuba's main office and into one of the downtown hotels we're familiar with under the guise of throwing a party for a large client like Yotsuba."

"What will that do?" Light asked.

"We'll hold the party in one of the top floor suites and serve alcohol. Matsuda will pretend to be drunk, and accidentally fall off the balcony. We'll have a mattress ready to catch him in the balcony one floor below, and someone to pretend to be him, lying on the ground. Someone else can pretend to call the police, and we can use one of the ambulances we have to take the 'body' away. They'll think he's dead, and we'll publish an obituary and an article in the news the next day to confirm their suspicions."

"This is all assuming that they take the bait and go to the hotel." Eva pointed out. "And assuming Matsuda doesn't die during the execution of this stunt."

"Yes…I would prefer to go with a more solid plan. Unfortunately, Matsuda has left us very little choice." L mumbled.

"Better than any plan I had." Eva admitted with a shrug. Light nodded and returned to his phone call.

"Alright Misa, I need you to listen to me very carefully." As Light explained the plan to Misa, L began assigning roles to everyone. Eva slumped down on the couch, feeling useless as ever.

"Eva, change into a suit." L said.

"I know." Eva replied with a melancholy tone, clearly just expecting to hear that she would not be allowed to participate in this rescue.

"Are you listening to me?" L asked.

"Yea, you…." Eva paused for a moment, processing the words that he had previously spoken. "Wait, change into a suit for what?"

"We'll need another person besides Misa in the hotel room to run interference in case someone tries to grab Matsuda off the ledge." L explained.

"Wait, are you insane?" Light chimed in, walking over to L. "You can't send her in there. Everyone in that room will be a potential target."

"I can't pass for a model." Eva agreed. "If anyone was going to pick out a spy in that room, the easy money would be on me."

"You're going to act as another manager." L replied.

"No. No way!" Light quickly dismissed the idea.

"Ryuzaki, you know I'd love to help, but I don't know enough about the modeling world to pass as a manager. They'll figure me out immediately."

"I have faith in your ability to improvise." L said with a soft smile.

"She's not doing it!" Light yelled.

"Ultimately, that's Eva's decision to make. We need someone else in that room." Eva tuned out L and Light's bickering and thought about the conundrum. Maybe she wasn't afraid of messing up the operation…maybe she was just afraid. But it sure was sweet of L to let her make the decision for herself.

"Okay." she agreed with a sharp inhale, intending to hold her breath until her performance could come to a close. L smiled at her while Light gawked.

"Eva, you can't! It's too dangerous! N-no. I won't allow it." Eva smiled at Light's frustrated ramblings and gave him a hug.

"Thank you for always trying to protect me, but there are some decisions that I have to make on my own. Please, Light. I really want to do this." The boy sighed and wrapped his arms around her.

"What if something happens to you?" he asked.

"I'll be fine. Trust me." she assured him with a gentle smile. Light let out another pained groan before begrudgingly nodding.

"Okay." he whispered.

* * *

Eva checked her hair and makeup in the small handheld mirror before exiting the cab.

"You look beautiful." Light assured her with a nervous smile. "You could definitely pass as a model."

"Thanks." she said with a laugh. "That's a lie, but it was a sweet lie."

"It wasn't a lie." Light gave her a look that Eva had seen several times on his face since their separation. It was a strange mixture of longing and regret. It was a look that Eva had held a few times since then, too. "Be careful."

"I will, I promise." She ducked out of the cab and straightened out her suit pants, clumsily trying to gain her footing in the heels that Wedy had loaned to her. Eva had **rarely** ever worn heels and it definitely showed. She stumbled up to the twenty-seventh floor and let herself into the hotel room, earning a few startled looks from one or two of the Yotsuba Group members.

"Maria!" Misa called out happily, grabbing Eva's arm and dragging her further into the room. "I'm so glad you could make it!" Eva smiled, happy to have someone to lean on as she maneuvered in her impossibly high heels. "Let me introduce you to everyone!" Misa took Eva around the room, introducing her to each of the Yotsuba Group members as 'Maria Garcia' Vice President of Accounts. It was a common enough name that if anyone tried to search for her, it would yield tens of millions of results. Eva smiled politely and shook each member's hand, doing her best to stay in character throughout the exchanges. Once the last 'client' had been satisfactorily greeted, Eva stepped over the bar and fiddled with bottles, pretending to make herself a drink to look busy.

"Need some help?" someone asked. Eva nearly jumped out of her skin at the sudden closeness of the man, but relaxed a bit when she noticed it was Reiji Namikawa. He had been the least creepy out of all of the men she had talked to tonight, and she was hoping that fact wouldn't change now.

"No…I'm just not interested in anything here." Eva replied with a smile.

"What do you drink?" he pushed, leaning against the mini bar of the hotel suite with her and observing the rest of the party.

"Soda." she admitted with a giggle. "I'm not really a big drinker."

"Really?" Reiji asked with a small level of incredulity. "Because I've never met a vice president of…anything that didn't need to take the edge off after a long day of work."

"Well, I'm still working. The night is young." Eva replied with a smirk. He laughed.

"Fair enough. Where are you from, Maria?"

"Originally? The United States. California, specifically." Eva lied.

"I spent six years in Massachusetts." Reiji stated, tucking his long black hair behind his ear as he took another sip of his drink.

"O yea? How did you like it?" Eva asked.

"I didn't get to see much of it. I was at Harvard working on my bachelors, and then I got accepted into their MBA program." he replied.

"Wow. Harvard, that's very impressive." Eva smirked at his barely subtle brag. She couldn't help but to think this was the kind of man that her father would have preferred to see her with. Far more than Light, and definitely far more than L. A nice, stable, financially well-off man, with a good pedigree who could take care of her. "At least from the perspective of someone that just went to California State University."

"Which one?" Reiji peered into her eyes and for a moment, Eva wondered if he knew what she was doing. Maria Garcia would have been an exceptionally difficult name to pin down in a state like California. And considering the state university system had over twenty schools, her dropping that piece of information would do little to help any investigation of her, but served as a seemingly intimate detail, at least on face value. But Reiji seemed to see right through that. Eva laughed and nervously ran her hand through her straightened hair.

"I'm too embarrassed to admit it to a Harvard alum." she said, trying to dismiss the question.

"Well, if you ever do feel like unburdening yourself with that secret, here's my number." Reiji held out a card and Eva took it with a smile, intending to end their conversation right there. "What if I need to contact you about marketing?" he asked when an awkward moment of silence emerged between them. _Shit._

"I came from home, so I wasn't able to bring any business cards with me, but…." Eva pulled out her phone and programmed Reiji's number into it, sending him a quick text. It was the one moment in her life that she had been immensely grateful for her father's insistence on securing their cellphones so that it could never be traced back to their names. She had rolled her eyes at his paranoia at the time, but she had to admit he was right. Reiji may have thought that he backed Eva into a corner, but she had gotten lucky. He checked his phone when it buzzed and he began to program Eva's number in. He turned his head when a door was loudly kicked open. Eva peeked around him to see Matsuda drunkenly stumbling and mumbling incoherently. He headed to the balcony, and began to climb over the edge.

"Yay! You can do it! Go Matsui!" Misa cheered as Matsuda balanced on the ledge. Eva slyly switched positions with Reiji to stand next to Misa, directly in the path of anyone who might be trying to get to Matsuda.

"Hey! Get down from there! You're way too drunk!" Suguru Shimura called, standing up from the couch and trying to maneuver around Eva and Misa.

"O, don't worry about Matsui! He does this all the time!" Misa assured.

"Yea, it makes me a little nervous, too, but he really is good at it." Eva agreed. Matsuda leaned into a handstand and the room exploded with yelling. Eva and Misa stood in the way of the crowd that began to try and move toward the balcony, but before anyone could get past them, Matsuda's hand slipped and he yelled. Shocked gasps filled the room, followed by silence, followed by a sickening thud and a scream echoing from the street below. Eva was carelessly shoved out of the way as members of the Yotsuba group ran to the edge of the balcony and watched the gory scene unfold.

"Look everyone, I think you should all just leave this for us to take care of and go home." Misa quickly added.

"What?" one of the members asked. Eva pulled herself away from the wall she had been pushed into and forced a smile through the pain.

"Please, don't concern yourself with this. We'll handle everything. Our clients shouldn't be inconvenienced due to an employee's tragic mishap." Eva added.

"Just don't forget about me for your next campaign, okay?" Misa said, waving them goodbye.

* * *

Eva stood in her room in front of the mirror in her underwear and frowned at the red blotching on her shoulders, back, and arm. She lifted up her hair to better assess the damage. Her frown deepened.

"Great." she muttered, putting on a tank top and shorts and heading downstairs with Wedy's heels in hand. The group stood in a circle berating Matsuda for his stupid move, and Eva couldn't help but to laugh. She stepped over to Wedy, who sat on the couch smoking, and took a seat next to her. "Thanks so much for lending me your heels."

"No problem." Wedy replied, taking them back. "I can't believe we wear the same shoe size."

"Neither can I! It's like it was meant to be!" Eva swooned.

"Eva…what happened to your arm?" Light suddenly asked. Eva jumped at his voice and quickly stood up, trying to hide the newly developing bruise from him.

"O-o…it was nothing, I just got pushed into the doorway of the balcony and—" It was all the information Light needed to grab her hips and force her to turn. He pushed her hair out of the way and followed the bruise up her arm, across her shoulder, and down her back.

"O my god…it's almost the entire right side of your back…." Light said.

"It's not as bad as it looks." Eva reassured him. "It doesn't even hurt anymore. She glanced over her shoulder to see L examining the wound with concern.

"This is exactly why I told you I didn't want her to go! But you put her in that dangerous situation anyways, and she ended up getting hurt! This is your fault, L! You put her in danger without even thinking twice about her wellbeing!" Light yelled at L. For a moment, it looked like he wanted to storm away from the entire situation, but he suddenly remembered the chain that was attaching him to L. Light grabbed it roughly in his hand and glared at it, scoffing and dropping it from his hand forcefully. He shook his wrist in frustration and Eva gently rubbed his arm. She turned her attention to L's clearly distressed face. Even if it was just the furrow of his brow, the squint of his eyes, and anxious twitching of his slightly parted lips, it had been quite a white since Eva had seen so much emotion on his face. It was guilt, and confusion, and regret, and pain. She forced a smile, hoping to comfort him as well.

"It's not that bad, L. Thrombocytopenia is just a side effect of my chemotherapy. I just bruise easily. No one pushed me really hard, and I'm not in any pain. It'll be okay. It'll heal." she assured. She turned back to Light, still rubbing his arm. "It was just an accident."

"You always say that…." Light whispered bitterly, recalling the first time she had told him about the injury to her kidney—the injury that had set off the tragic chain of events that would now cost Light his best friend. Eva hugged Light tightly and he carefully positioned his hands around her bruises, wishing more than anything that he could make the world a better, kinder place for her. But Eva was content with the world as it was in that moment. For the first time in a long time, she felt like she had Light back—the real Light. Not the strange creature she had met prior to his incarceration. Eva pulled away and looked at L, embracing the guilt-torn man in just as warm a hug.

"Thank you for letting me decide whether I wanted to go or not. It means a lot to me that you trust my judgement." she whispered. Eva stepped back from the two men and sighed. "Well, I'm going to get some sleep. I'm exhausted. Have a good night." she gave them a small wave and headed back up the stairs to her room. Eva picked up her phone to set an alarm, but laughed when she noticed a text message from Reiji. _It was nice meeting you, despite the dark turn of the evening._ Eva flipped the phone closed and decided to deal with the message in the morning, after consulting with L. After all, he had made it pretty clear that he didn't want anyone acting on their own.

* * *

"Ryuzaki?" Eva groggily asked the darkness. A noise had woken her up, and after just a few heart attacks, she was now used to having L sneak into her room at night.

"Yea, it's me." the darkness replied. Eva closed her eyes, barely able to stay awake.

"Did you chain Light to the stairs again?"

"Yes." She let out a tired giggle. L crawled into the sheets behind her, and wrapped his arm around her gently. It was a nice feeling to be held like this. "I'm sorry…."

"For what?" she asked, confused by the apology.

"For letting you get hurt." Eva's eyes opened. She was suddenly wide awake. She turned to her other side, facing the young detective and taking his face into her hands.

"Don't be sorry. You didn't do anything wrong. Seriously, I bruised myself the other day by accidentally bumping into the nightstand. Believe me when I said I bruise **very** easily." There was no response on his part and Eva decided to comfort him with the only other method she had remaining. She leaned in and gently pushed her lips against his. "I love you." The words slipped out so easily.

"What?" L asked, surprised by the confession.

"I love you." Eva repeated more confidently. She had been scared to admit it before, but she knew it for sure now. She loved L with every fiber of her being. L responded in a far less wordy manner. He eagerly captured her lips in his and she gave into the sensation. Everything they had been aching to do for months came to fruition. This time, Eva didn't stop L from stripping off her clothes, or lowering his lips past her collar bone. She rejoiced in it. Every kiss and suckle took her breath away. Eva couldn't have imagined a greater pleasure until she found L's head between her legs, fervently moving his tongue across her folds. She gasped and bucked her hips further into him, arching her back and moaning as her eyes rolled back in ecstasy. She groaned when he stopped and hovered over her. "What's wrong?" she asked between heavy breaths.

"I don't have a condom." L grumbled.

"I can't get pregnant on chemo." Eva quickly answered, excited to return to their previous activities. "You don't have to use one."

"Are you sure?" L asked. She nodded and he kissed her. Eva tangled her fingers in his hair as he positioned himself at her entrance. With slow, measured thrusts, he gently made his way into her. Eva was amazing by his acuity. He would slow down when he felt her tighten with discomfort, and only continue his progression once he felt her relax. Eva had expected her first time to be painful and bloody, but with L, it was entirely pleasurable. She moaned and spread her legs wider, letting L push as deep inside of her as he could. When she had adjusted to his entire length, he began to move more rhythmically inside of her, and Eva found herself begging him for more. Pleasure shot through her body each time his pelvis pushed up against her clitoris.

"Faster." Eva begged, gripping the sheets as L hooked her legs with his arms. His speed increased and within minutes, they were both panting and moaning as they rode out the waves of their orgasms. L pulled out and laid next to her, and as they settled their racing hearts, Eva felt strangely embarrassed by the sensation of L's fluids leaking out of her. "That was amazing." Eva said, trying to take her mind off the feeling.

"Yes." L agreed, still a little breathless.

"You should get back to Light before he wakes up." Eva said with a giggle. L nodded, smiling a bit before leaning over to kiss Eva good night.

"I love you." he replied before shutting the door. Such an emotional expression couldn't have been easy for the guy, and alone in the darkness once again, Eva found herself unable to stop smiling. _I love him._


	26. Chapter 26

**Author's Note:** Yea…no adequate excuses. This was just late. I swear I'm finishing it, though!

* * *

 **Chapter 26**

* * *

 _October 9, 2004_

 _My first morning waking up as not a virgin feels…strange. I've always heard you look different afterwards, but I can't really see it. I wonder if anyone else can._

* * *

"You look different." Light said, eyeing Eva suspiciously as she poured coffee. She jumped at the sudden accusation, sending a panicked ripple through the brown liquid in her mug.

"W-what do you mean?" she stuttered between nervous glances.

"You never smile this much in the morning." Light explained, leaning closer to her. Eva let out a small laugh of relief and nodded, swallowing the ever present nervous lump in her throat.

"Yea, well, a pretty great opportunity fell into my lap. I wanted to talk to you and Ryuzaki about it." It should have bothered her how easily she was able to lie to Light, but Eva was far too distracted to contemplate the morality of her situation.

"O?" L asked, suddenly interested in the conversation. He spun in his computer chair and watched the duo make their way over to him. "What is it?"

"Last night Reiji Namikawa gave me his cellphone number. I think he was flirting with me and he already texted me." Eva began. Light let out an annoyed sigh and L tilted his head in confusion, not quite understanding the point of the conversation. "Maybe if I get close to him, we can start to narrow down who is or isn't Kira. Maybe there's some information I can get from him." She gave both men a hopeful smile, trying to stay optimistic about their visible scowls.

"No." Light immediately shot down the idea. "It's too dangerous. Besides, just because he likes you, you think he'll confess everything about Kira to you? It's not a good idea."

"Not right away but—"

"I'm afraid I'll have to agree with Light on this." L cut Eva off. "Maybe if we were dealing with some low level drug dealer, or a gang affiliate, you may be able to woo details of the crime out of them. However, people like Namikawa—people like Kira—are cold and calculating. I'm afraid trying to appeal to their emotions will only serve to put you in harm's way."

"I'm not saying—"

"Don't talk to him at all unless it's about hiring Misa for advertising campaigns. Hopefully he'll just think you were networking and leave you alone." Light interrupted. Eva set down her coffee mug and threw up her hands in defeat, her good mood from the previous night in ruins.

"Fine." she whispered, taking her laptop off the office shelf and settling into her usual position on the couch. She flipped open her phone with every intention of deleting Namikawa's number, but paused when she saw another text from him. _I'd like to see you again._ Eva glanced up at L and Light. Their backs were turned toward her as they clicked away on their computers. She knew it wasn't right. The last person to disobey L's orders had nearly compromised the entire investigation. …but she was smarter than Matsuda, right? At least she hoped she was. Eva bit her lip in thought, holding her breath as she tried to make a decision. Her thumb hovered between the 'back' and 'reply' buttons, twitching with anxiety. Her eyes darted up once more, ensuring that she was not being watched.

"Are you free for dinner on the 12th?" she whispered under her breath as she typed. She had to hear it out loud, just to make sure it sounded correct. Her eyes, filled with guilt, took a final survey of the room. _Send._ She didn't have time to shut her phone before Namikawa texted back with a suggested time and an obnoxiously expensive restaurant. Eva quickly agreed and stowed the device in her pocket. Paranoia suddenly took over her. She had never been concerned about L or Light going through her phone before, but she also had never kept a secret from them before. Anything they would find on her phone would be public knowledge. She had never bothered to secure her electronics because she didn't particularly care if they did snoop. But now things were different. If she was going to disobey their direct orders, she would have to produce results before they found out. "Hey" she called out to the men. They turned toward her. "Is it okay if I go home for a couple days? I really miss my parents."

"…sure." L agreed hesitantly. "Do you need Watari to take you?"

"Yea, that would be nice." Eva said with a pleasant smile. She felt horrible for lying to the man she had just confessed her love to.

* * *

 _October 12, 2004_

 _I can't believe how nervous I am for today. I swear I checked off every box…twice._

\- _I got lots of great tips on how to conduct an investigative interview from mom. I told her I wasn't doing any field work yet, but I wanted to be ready if I had to. I know she would freak if she heard about the whole Matsuda thing. Hopefully she believes me._

\- _I have my special pen._

\- _I lied to Light and L about having doctors' appointments all day today._

\- _I told my mom I was going on a date, but to tell everyone else (in case they ask) that I was busy with doctors' appointments to spare Light's feelings. It was so funny: she was so happy to see me finally moving on that she offered to help me with hair and makeup for the date…which I gladly accepted. I haven't had to get ready for something like this in…ever._

 _…Light was my only real date._

 _Dad wasn't too happy with the idea of me going out on a date…or the fact that I was meeting Reiji at the restaurant. I assured him it was just because of his work schedule, but he still insists that a man who doesn't pick up a woman for a date is no good. Gag me. I guess he's also kind of upset that I won't tell him who the date is with or which restaurant we're going to. The last thing I need is him being overprotective and blowing my cover._

 _I will admit that it's been strange. Reiji hasn't stopped texting me at all these last few days. I know I shouldn't think so…but it feels nice to have this kind of attention again. Things with Light have still been a little weird, and L…well, he's not really the affectionate kind._

 _I hope tonight goes well…._

* * *

Eva nervously leaned into the restaurant's bathroom mirror to check the integrity of her makeup. She couldn't help but to smile at the way her poreless skin gleamed, or how captivating her smoldering eyes were, or how plump and sultry her lips looked. She wasn't used to being in makeup this well done, or really, looking this pretty ever. She ran her polished fingers through her styled hair and shook out the loose waves to give herself a little more volume. Her black sheath dress also gave an illusion of volume. It accentuated curves that Eva felt were sorely lacking ever since she had started chemo.

"Okay, you can do this." she whispered to herself in the mirror, letting out a long held breath before heading back to her table. She smiled politely at the waiter as he made his way over to her again.

"Any luck?" he asked.

"Yes, he just sent me a text message." Eva replied with a smile. "He should be here in about five minutes." He nodded with a soft smile and refilled Eva's water. The time dragged on excruciatingly slowly, and as the minutes ticked by, doubt began to grow in Eva's stomach. Luckily or unluckily, it never had the chance to manifest in any actions before Reiji showed up.

"Sorry for the delay." he said, taking his seat across from her at the table.

"O, no worries at all." Eva assured him. She nervously eyed the silver pen she had set on the table. It had originally been a gift from her father quite a few years ago—the last time he went to the CIA headquarters. Eva had asked for a 'super cool spy souvenir,' and her father had brought home a pen that doubled as a recording device. It was slim and subtle…and had sat on her shelf for god knows how many years. It was just a neat gift until its utility proved to be priceless. If she was going to coax a confession out of Reiji, she needed to have a witness. Who better than a tiny bug?

"You look beautiful." The words caught her off guard. The last time she could remember someone complimenting her looks so sincerely was Light. It was a bitter sweet realization. L had never been the affectionate type. It wasn't his fault, and Eva had never held it against him, but sometimes she had wished that she didn't have a previous relationship to compare it to. The difference in how Light expressed his emotions toward her and how L…tried very hard to do the same was clear and obvious. Sometimes it left Eva feeling somewhat…undesirable. It was a silly feeling, one that was easy to dismiss initially, but some part deep inside of her, plagued with her own insecurities, held onto the emotion.

"Thank you." she finally managed to respond. "You look really nice as well." She eyed his expensive suit and Reiji laughed.

"I'm glad the day hasn't worn off on me."

"Was it particularly bad?"

"No." Reiji said with a sigh as he flipped through the wine menu. "It's usually the same song and dance every day. Someone messes up, and I have to fix it. Some deal threatens to fall through, and I have to renegotiate it. Someone decides to hold a two hour long meeting that could have easily been a two sentence email, and I have to sit through it." He shut the leathered menu and set it back on the table. "They definitely didn't disclose that it would be this monotonous when I was at Harvard."

"That's right, you did go to Harvard." Eva replied with a laugh. She took a sip of water. "For both your undergrad and grad degrees, if I remember?"

"Good memory."

"You didn't want to explore other schools?"

"I did." Reiji admitted. "But my father went to Harvard for his graduate degree, so he was more than insistent."

"Did he go for all six years as well?"

"Just the four." he laughed. "Class of '80."

"Four?" Eva asked. "He didn't get an MBA?"

"He did. It was a joint JD/MBA program, so it was longer than the traditional two year MBA." Eva's heart suddenly dropped. She tried to calm herself as the waiter arrived to take their orders. Their fathers went to the same school, graduated the same year, and majored in the same department. She knew he had kept in touch with many of his friends from Harvard, especially those in finance. Many of them gave him investment advice.

"What does your father do now?" she asked nervously.

"He's president of Yotsuba's US division."

"I guess finance runs in the family." Eva said with a forced smile. She wasn't sure if it was her paranoia ramping up, but she suddenly felt like the name Namikawa was familiar, as if he had heard her father say it before. Eva wracked her brain for ways to find out if their fathers truly knew each other. Worst case scenario: they were connected, and if they were, if Reiji really wanted to find out who she was, he could do it in a heartbeat. Eva planned to force herself through the rest of dinner to avoid drawing suspicion to any possible connection. The task turned out to be easier than she anticipated. Reiji was an intelligent, funny, charming man. At several moments, she had caught herself having a good time. She felt guilty. This man was affiliated with Kira, or perhaps Kira himself. He had little to no qualms about killing someone for financial gain. How could he compartmentalize that? How could she? Perhaps the most confusing aspect of the night for her was Reiji's decision to pursue her. He had his choice of any model, any trophy that he could want. Eva was painfully aware that she was no one's trophy.

"Can I give you a ride home?" Reiji asked as he graciously paid the outrageous bill. Eva contemplated the offer. She really didn't feel like catching a train home, and what could be the harm of him dropping her off in the vicinity of her house? In fact, there was a large apartment building just two blocks from her house. She could just pretend to live there and walk home after he drove away.

"Sure." She finally replied, watching him press a few buttons on his phone. They stood and made their way out of the restaurant, and Eva nearly gawked at the limo waiting for them. She couldn't help but to chuckle to herself. Of course he was chauffeured around in a limo. She couldn't help but to think this is exactly the kind of guy her father would want her to be with. Reiji had the correct pedigree, a safe and stable job, and enough wealth to meet all of Eva's wants and needs. She slipped into the back seat with him, suddenly wondering if she had made a mistake. This man was a stranger after all. Would he try to hurt her? As if he could read her mind, or perhaps just her stiff body language, Reiji kept a respectful distance during their ride. Eva kept her full attention on him as they continued this conversation. Could this man, who showed her so much kindness, really kill? It was hard to believe. "Well, this is my stop." Eva joked as the limo pulled in front of the apartment complex.

"Would you like me to walk you in?" Reiji offered.

"That won't be necessary." She could see the disappointment in his eyes. "I had a lot of fun."

"Then we should do it again, soon."

"We'll find a time." She assured him with a gentle smile. "Good night." Eva stepped out of the limo and quickly walked into the lobby of the apartment building, fumbling with her keys as if she were heading home. She took the elevator to the top floor and slowly began to descend all 20 flights of stairs. The mild exercise would keep her preoccupied, and by the time she was at the bottom, Reiji would be long gone. Eva stopped at the third floor to peek out of a window. The streets were empty, and she finally felt comfortable enough to begin heading home. It didn't quite hit her how late she had been out until she arrived home and saw her parents asleep on the couch in front of the TV. Eva rubbed her mother's shoulder, waking her.

"Hey…" she mumbled through a yawn. "How was your date?"

"It was fun. I just wanted to let you know I'm home."

"Thanks." she replied before laying her head back down.

"Good night, mom." Eva whispered before heading up the stairs to her room. She flopped down onto her bed and sighed, twirling the silver pen between her fingers and staring up at the ceiling. "Now, how do I get a confession out of you?"


	27. Chapter 27

**Author's Note:** Hooray! I'm back to writing on a (semi)regular basis!

Thanks to god of all, -279, and Ichigo0-0Rose for the reviews! I can't wait to hear more from everyone. :)

* * *

 **Chapter 27**

* * *

 _October 15, 2004_

 _I've been on three 'dates' with Reiji in three days. For a busy executive he sure does make a lot of time for his personal life. I guess that's a good thing…at least from the investigation's perspective._

 _I'm going back to work today since he said he had a mandatory meeting to attend. I know it's the Kira meetings…but the look in his eye was so strange when he told me. It only lasted a second, but it was almost like disappointment. Disappointed in himself, maybe? That he needs to resort to such measures to get ahead in the world?_

 _I would believe him if he told me that. He's been so kind to me. How could someone like that be Kira?_

* * *

Eva sat before the giant monitors in the taskforce headquarters, staring up at the live feed of Yotsuba's Kira meeting.

"What happened to the 8th member?" she asked timidly, pointing to the noticeably empty seat that appeared on the screen.

"They probably killed one of their members." L stated bluntly, earning an uneasy moan from the surrounding team.

"In order to further the growth of the Yotsuba Group and best serve its financial interest, who should we kill next?" one member, Takeshi Ooi, asked.

"They're so explicit about it!" Eva said with a surprised scoff.

"You see?! It's just like I told you last week!" Matsuda exclaimed.

"But before we get to that, there are several topics we need to discuss." Ooi continued. "First, there is the issue of Hatori's death."

"That was unavoidable." Reiji cut in. "To be honest, in a certain sense, I'm relieved that Hatori is dead. Kira has demonstrated that we must be committed to these meetings. We now know what will happen if we try to leave." Eva flinched at his words. She looked down at her phone, at the text message he had sent her earlier this morning. _Thinking of you. Hope all is well._ He had seen her less than 12 hours prior, and yet still thought to let her know she was on his mind first thing in the morning. It was baffling. It was a different person. Who was this cold man that looked so much like Reiji Namikawa?

"I think we all understand what Hatori's death means for the rest of us. Let's not take it lightly." Ooi concurred. "Now, moving on: the next topic is Eraldo Coil's report."

"One of their members just died and that's all they're going to say?" Soichiro asked, clearly disgusted by the behavior.

"So, did we really pay five million dollars for this report?" Kyousuke Higuchi asked, leafing through the papers in front of him. "I mean, come on, look at this! He hasn't found anything important about L like his name or his face. Is this Coil guy seriously going to be of any use to us?"

"Hold on a second." Ooi interrupted. "There is something very interesting in the last part of this report. Coil's warning us that we can't afford to take L's existence too lightly. In particular, it says the concentration of killings that are beneficial to Yotsuba will likely be noticed by L if they continue on Fridays and Saturdays."

"Sounds like this Eraldo Coil has figured out what we've been up to." Shingo Midou huffed, his glare intensifying. "I admit it's quite impressive. At any rate, I personally think we should stop killing every weekend."

"This is unbelievable!" Matsuda said, leaning into the screen. "It's like they're trying to confess to everything."

"As long as we have this video as evidence, we could probably arrest all seven of them." Soichiro replied.

"Kira hasn't been flexible up to this point, has he?" Higuchi asked, leaning back into his leather chair. "It would be nice if he could spread out his killings over the whole week." He suggested with a shrug.

"The fact that Coil noticed what we were up to makes it too dangerous to keep killing at our usual pace." Midou agreed. "From now on we have to be even more careful to make sure nobody else notices a trend in these deaths."

"Now, onto the main topic: who should we kill?" Ooi asked. A chill went down Eva's spine, and she pushed herself deeper into the cushions of her chair for warmth.

"I think we should focus on ELF Insurance." Midou suggested. "If they expand into the Japanese market, Yotsuba and many other companies will lose valuable clients to them."

"Agreed." Ooi stated. "Any objections to killing these people from ELF Insurance with accidental deaths?"

"No objections." the room answered.

"Is this for real?" Light asked. "How can they do this so easily?" The Yotsuba members continued their planning. More names, more motives, more specific instructions for Kira. "Deaths by accident, by disease, designated times of death—we were right!"

"No, unfortunately, we can only be sure when those people named have died." L replied, stirring sugar into his tea. "We will continue to monitor these meetings and take note of what they say, how they act, and most importantly, whether the people that they name actually die. If we can confirm the connection between their plans and the deaths, then we'll definitely be able to catch Kira."

"Ryuzaki!" Light and Soichiro yelled. L jumped from the sudden increase in volume, his delicately balanced tower of sugar cubes scattering on the desk before him.

"What is it?!" the frazzled detective asked. "There's no need to yell in unison!"  
"I can't carry on knowing these people will die!" Light yelled, clearly ignoring L's objections. "That's just immoral! I know you're planning on catching Kira by letting these guys carry out these murders, but we can't let that happen."

"That's right!" Soichiro agreed. "It's obvious that these seven men are behind these killings. With Matsuda's testimony and the footage we recorded, we have all the evidence."

"Do we?" Eva asked.

"Huh?" Light turned to her.

"We have no idea how Kira kills. We have no idea which of these seven men are Kira, or if any of them are. What if one of them just knows Kira?" Eva postulated.

"Are you seriously saying we should let more people die?" Light was visibly disgusted by the mere thought.

"No…of course not. I'm just…I'm just trying to be realistic." Eva answered hesitantly.

"She's right. If we were to take action now, everything we've done will go to waste." L rebutted.

"So, what do you say we take care of ELF in three weeks, and as for Zenzai, we'll ask Kira to kill him this weekend." one member suggested, bringing the task force's attention back to the on-screen meeting.

"No objections." the rest answered in unison.

"If that's what they're going to do then there's not much time left." Soichiro said, turning to his son. "Light, we already know the phone numbers of these board members, don't we?"

"Yea!" Light responded, quickly grabbing a piece of paper with the information and handing it to his father.

"I don't care who we call. I need to reach one of these men and have them stop these murders." Soichiro dug his cellphone out of his pocket and began dialing. _Shit…._

"Please hold on." L pleaded calmly. "That will cause suspicion. It would mean the investigation caught up with them three days after they were contacted by Aiber. Also, it would make it far more unlikely that we would be able to discover who the real Kira might be. We can't afford such a huge setback seeing how far we've come." L sipped his tea and returned his attention to the screen. "In order to catch Kira, we're going to need some solid proof.

"Ryuzaki…if one of these seven men is in fact Kira, would it be safe to say that if I tried calling one of them, the odds of me calling Kira is going to be one in seven?" Light asked.

"I'm thinking there could be more than one Kira among them." L replied.

"If we're prepared to let them know that the investigation is catching up to them, let's place our bets on these odds. Who is least likely to be Kira, but holds the most influence?" Light leaned forward, carefully examining each member on the screen.

"Reiji Namikawa." Eva answered. _So much for my spy work._ "I can almost guarantee he's not Kira."

"What? How?" Light asked. Eva smiled sheepishly and let out a nervous laugh.

"Well…remember how I said he was flirting with me and wanted to take me out?"

"You didn't…." Light growled under his breath.

"I recorded all of the conversations!" Eva quickly offered him a USB drive, holding it out like a sacrificial token to an angry god, hoping he would spare her. "I was going to tell you two eventually…when I found something important."

"I…I can't even—" Light struggled to find the words.

"If you're going to make a call, please use this phone. It's set up so it can't be traced or tapped." L grudgingly pointed to a landline, keeping his glare fixed on Eva. She quickly turned her eyes back to the screen and watched Reiji pull out his cellphone and answer the call.

"Is this Reiji Namikawa, head of the Yotsuba Group's marketing department?" Light asked.

"Yes, and who is this?" Reiji questioned.

"Listen carefully, but don't draw attention to yourself. I am L." Light responded. Reiji's eyes widened for a fraction of a second, returning quickly back to his stoic expression. "I've placed cameras and wiretaps around that meeting room. Even as I speak, I'm recording footage of your entire meeting. The first thing you discussed was Hatori's death. Now you're debating who to kill next. Am I correct?" Eva noticed Reiji's lip twitch—perhaps with annoyance, perhaps with anxiety. "If you are not Kira, or if you are not someone who can contact Kira directly, let's make a deal. I need you to delay the deaths of the ELF president and Mr. Zenzai by one month. I doubt it will be difficult for someone with your standing to accomplish that."

"Yes…yes, I see." Reiji finally replied. "Go on."

"He wants impunity." Eva whispered to Light when she noticed him hesitate.

"If you complete your end of the deal and cooperate with our requests from now on, then your crimes—no, not just your crimes, but everyone's crimes, with the exception of Kira—will be pardoned based on the premise that Kira blackmailed you into participating in these meetings."

"I see." A small smirk appeared along Reiji's lips for a moment before vanishing. "Okay."

"If you tell the others about this call, they will panic. It will be of no advantage to you. Everyone would be arrested immediately." Light continued. "But that's not my intention. I'm planning to go one-on-one against Kira. Listen, if I win against Kira, you will be acquitted of all charges. If Kira wins, then you'll be free to carry on with your comfortable life. Just play along with both parties. Staying on the sidelines will be best. You're not in a position to lose anything regardless of who wins in the end. It would only be a loss if I decided to arrest you right here and now. That's all for now." Light hung up the phone.

"Right. I'll see you Monday, then." Reiji replied before doing the same.

"What's going on, Namikawa? Who was that?" Ooi asked.

"One of my men screwed up again." Reiji grumbled. "I'll have to fix it on Monday." He quickly stashed his phone in his pocket and began shuffling through the papers in front of him. "Anyways, sorry for the interruption. Let's get back on topic. Here's what I'm thinking: we'll give Coil one month to reveal L's identity. If he still hasn't uncovered the information we need, then we can go ahead and kill the targets randomly. Then we'll give him another month to investigate and repeat the process. Once we get rid of L permanently, we can go back to killing two or three people a week. In other words: our top priority should be the elimination of L." The other members jumped at the bait, eagerly agreeing with Reiji's plan. Eva shook her head with dismay. _None of you could hold a candle to L._ It was particularly disappointing to her how easily the words came out of Reiji's mouth. They were so believable, like he had done this a hundred times before. He was talking about murder—about ending another person's life, the most valuable thing they have—and yet, he did it with the same care and thought that someone would give an important looking piece of junk mail: momentary hesitation followed by swift disposal. Eva shivered again. _Cold._


	28. Chapter 28

**Author's Note:** Whaaat? Two chapters not even like 6 months apart? Say it ain't so!

* * *

 **Chapter 28**

* * *

"You really are quite amazing, Light." L finally spoke up, keeping his eyes fixed on the screen in front of it. "Not only did you manage to delay the killings, but you also set up Namikawa as a potential mole for us. It sounded exactly like the sort of thing I would do, and you thought of it quicker than I did. At this rate, if I end up dying somehow, it's quite possible that you would be capable of succeeding me."

"What?!" Now Eva and Light were yelling in unison.

"Why are you being so morbid?" Light demanded. "There isn't time for that! We only have a month to figure out Kira's identity and gather evidence against him to prove it. This is only the beginning!

"Yes…" L halfheartedly agreed. He held up two pieces of paper in front of his face, filled with data from Light and Eva's BLARNEY queries. "…but you were the one who first noticed the connection between Yotsuba and Kira. You actually might be more capable than I am. I honestly believe you could take this on. Tell me, if I should die, would you take over for me as L?"

"What are you talking about?" Light raised an eyebrow and held up his chained hand. "As long as we're joined by these, we would die together anyway—huh." Light's expression suddenly changed from puzzled to irritated. "I see."

"See what?" Eva asked, leaning forward in her chair. There was that look in his eyes again—the anger that Eva had only recalled seeing a few times on Light.

"Ryuzaki, I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to tell everyone what you're really thinking right now." Light's jaw clenched and his nostrils flared momentarily. "He thinks that if I am Kira, then there are two possibilities: either I'm just pretending I'm not him and putting on an act, or Kira's power has passed on from me to someone else, and I have no memory that I was ever Kira in the first place. He's trying to determine which, if either, is the truth. The first theory…" Light took a moment to lift his wrist and showcase the handcuff around it. "…if I am putting on an act, he will never remove these handcuffs. No, even if I wasn't pretending to be innocent, I'm sure he still wouldn't take them off. Ryuzaki still believes I'm Kira. Even if that power had been passed to someone else, he thinks that I would've planned to have it returned to me once I'm safe from suspicion. In other words: I wasn't being controlled at all. He thinks it was a plan: to pass on the power and arrange for it to come back to me once I've been cleared. Ryuzaki's theory is that once I steal L's title, I will become Kira again."

"Light…I don't think that's the case. I mean, those are a lot of crazy leaps in logic." Eva said with a small laugh. "I don't think—"

"Correct." L stated bluntly.

"What?!" the shock of the confession nearly knocked Eva out of her chair. L had seemed so sincere in his assessment. Eva suddenly felt so insecure about everything that had occurred between them. Was he being insincere with her, too? Had he been testing her? Had she passed? "But why?"

"Taking on the identity of L, having the power to control the police in every country, while being Kira in secret—it's ideal." Light explained.

"I'm not saying it isn't! I just don't understand how you get from point A to point B!" Eva crossed her arms defiantly and glared at L.

"You're thinking I could do it." Light kept his glare focused on L's back. "No, that I would do it. That's what you're saying isn't it?" His voice dripped with venom.

"Yes." L said in the same nonchalant tone of voice.

"But he just said he didn't want your title." Eva pushed.

"That should prove, even to you, that I'm not putting on an act." Light added.

"If this is all an act, and you are trying to steal my identity…there's no chance you'd be foolish enough to reveal your plan in front of everyone, wouldn't you agree?" L mocked. Light spun him around in his chair and met his eyes.

"Ryuzaki, do you think that I'm actually capable of becoming a murderer—Kira? Even after I help you catch him? Do I seem like that kind of a person to you?" The question was sincere, and Eva felt Light's pain.

"Yes, you do." There it was again: L's plain answers. In that moment, Eva couldn't decide if L was being honest and straightforward, or intentionally provocative. He was such a good liar. It scared her. "I've always thought so." The question didn't need much time to linger before she caught a flash of movement. Suddenly, Light's fist was in L's face, and his foot was in Light's face.

"Not again!" Soichiro groaned.

"Okay, break it up!" Matsuda yelled, pulling apart the two men.

"What's wrong with you two?!" Eva demanded. "Wasn't once enough?"

"Let's just call it a draw and leave it at that, okay!?" It was the first time Matsuda had commanded the room's attention with authority.

"Yea, you're right." Light agreed, wiping off his face. "Let's just focus on catching the Kira in front of us now. As long as I have the handcuffs on, you shouldn't have any complaints." He turned away from the black-haired detective.

"I suppose so." L agreed begrudgingly. "We only have a month so there's no time to be distracted." Matsuda let out a sigh of relief, happy to have a break from his bouncer duties.

"Ryuzaki…" Soichiro spoke up. "We have plenty of footage from this meeting. Can we use that as evidence against those seven men and prevent the murders of other criminals?" Eva couldn't be sure, but she thought she saw a passing look of annoyance across L's face. If it was, he hid it well.

"Unfortunately, no." L answered.

"But why?!" Soichiro demanded.

"They talk about Kira in the third person." Eva said, pointing up to the screen. "Every time they mention him, 'Kira hasn't been flexible,' 'Kira has demonstrated,' 'We'll ask Kira,' it's almost as if Kira isn't even there, just his contact. Of course, Kira could be there and keeping his identity anonymous, sort of as a defense mechanism."

"Defense mechanism?" Matsuda's interest piqued. Eva nodded.

"Look what happened to their 8th member. If they know the consequence for even edging away from Kira is death, and they don't know who Kira is, or if there are multiple, or if there are more than one direct contacts…they won't be able to trust any of their colleagues. In the end, Kira has absolute control over their actions." she let out a small huff as she turned her eyes back to the monitor. "…we don't have a lot of options."

"Not to mention if all they have is a tenuous connection, Kira will most likely kill them as soon as they're arrested." L continued the explanation, dropping sugar cube after sugar cube into his cup of tea. "We have to be absolutely sure Kira is among them. So, there's no point in detaining them now. Even if it does turn out to be one of them, it'll still be quite difficult to determine who the culprit is. I believe it's still far too early for us to make our move."

"Hold on!" Soichiro objected, stepping closer to L. L's shoulders slumped, and there was that mildly annoyed look again. Eva couldn't help but to smile a bit. "At the same time, we can't say that he's definitely not among the seven. That means there's a chance the killings will stop if we take this opportunity to arrest them."

"I think dad's right." Light agreed. "There is a chance. We have to act on it." Unlike before, L's face didn't change until he began to speak again.

"Excuse me, but I think from now on, I should go after Kira by myself."

"Huh?" the rest of the team gasped.

"You can use these headquarters as you wish. I'll also be here, but we will be working independently. You can conduct your investigation under your own direction." L leaned forward, gathering up sugar cubes in his hand. His tone dropped from matter of fact to slightly irritated again. "Feel free to arrest those men if you like. I will be carrying on my own investigation. We'll only get into arguments if we don't split up and act separately at this point. This is for the best."

"Are you saying you're going to figure out who Kira is by any means necessary?" Soichiro probed.

"Yes. This case will never be solved unless we capture Kira himself." L's pace quickened. "Don't get me wrong. I wouldn't say that preventing more deaths is pointless, but if we don't uncover the entire truth once and for all, Kira will appear again…" he opened his fist over his cup and let the cubes tumble in until they overflowed. "…and the number of victims will only increase. That's why I believe it's more important to find out who Kira really is." He pushed against the desk, standing to face Soichiro and Light. "As I've been saying, I'm opposed to arresting those seven men. If you want to do so, you'll have to take responsibility for them. I will pursue Kira on my own. We only have one month." L began to walk away, shoving his hands in his pockets. "I wonder who will succeed…." he mumbled under his breath.

"R-ryuzaki!" Light called out, being dragged along by the chains.

"Where is he going?" Eva asked, standing from her chair as well.

"To Amane's room." L answered. "Sorry, Light. I know you're on your father's side, but I can't remove these handcuffs. I'm afraid you're going to have to come along with me." Light let out a defeated sigh, and Eva turned to the security cameras, watching L sell his investigation to Misa. Eva felt a strange pang of jealousy run through her. The pain was almost unbearable when she heard L proclaim that he turned to Misa for help in a time of desperation—that he **needed** her in the investigation. L had walked off without another word to Eva, despite the fact that she agreed with his tactics and his conclusions, never offering her a spot on his team.

"You're such a sweetie! Thank you, Ryuzaki!" Misa exclaimed. Eva returned her attention to the security camera and saw Misa kiss L's cheek.

"I could actually fall for you." L replied, gently touching the smudge lipstick on his face. Eva glared. What was he doing? Was he punishing her for something? What had she done to deserve this? Suddenly, all of the same emotions from Light's betrayal came rushing up to the surface, and she couldn't see anymore. She stood and rushed off to her room, ignoring the other task force members who seemed to be inundated with the impossible task of replacing L.


	29. Chapter 29

**Author's Note:** Gah, I feel like the last two chapters were so much exposition. Also, two chapters in one night, I'm clearly on a tear until I go MIA again for like 8 months.

* * *

 **Chapter 29**

* * *

 _October 23, 2004_

 _I don't know who to tell._

 _I don't know what I should do._

 _I never prepared myself for this moment._

 _I'm so scared…._

* * *

Eva sat on the uncomfortable hospital bench in the thinly veiling paper gown. She smiled awkwardly at the nurse who had been taking her vitals just a few moments ago.

"He'll be in shortly." the nurse reassured with a much more pleasant smile.

"Thanks." Eva replied, shifting nervously. A few more minutes passed before her doctor entered. Eva loved him. He was smart, straight-forward, and attentive. Though, her father had a much less charitable view of the man. _What kind of a doctor looks that frazzled?! We're supposed to be confident in his ability to treat Eva when he can't even be bothered to shave?!_ Eva could hear her father's voice loud and clear in her head, but she didn't mind the way Dr. Sudo dressed. He was younger, maybe only in his late thirties, but his hair had been varying shades of grey for a while. It matched the stubble on his face and crow's feet that had begun to develop around his eyes, admittedly more so since he had begun treating Eva. Eva didn't mind. She thought it gave him a better smile—not that he needed it. Dr. Sudo scratched his stubble as he read over her chart.

"How has this cycle of chemo been?" he finally asked, making diligent notes on her chart.

"Um…it's been okay, I guess. I mean, it's been worse than the last one, but nothing intolerable." He nodded as he wrote to let her know he was still listening. "I've been more nauseous. I haven't had as much nerve pain, but I've been really sore. And tired. I've just been really, really, tired."

"Even with the steroids?" he asked.

"Yes." Eva bit her lip nervously as he looked up at her. "What?"

"I'd like to run a few more tests before we jump to any conclusions." he said calmly, clearly seeing the panic in her eyes.

"What are one of the conclusions you don't want to jump to?" Eva asked. He was hesitant to answer.

"While we adjusted the strength of some medications, overall, this dose of chemotherapy is lower than the previous cycle. So, you shouldn't be having worsening symptoms." he finally said.

"What does that mean?"

"…it could be a sign of your cancer worsening."

"Worsening how?" Eva's voice shook.

"We won't know until we run the tests." Dr. Sudo said.

"If you had to estimate?" Eva couldn't wait another week for answers.

"I don't want you to jump to the worst-case scenario. We can expedite the testing. You can have all of the lab work done here, and I can test it myself. We can schedule your biopsy for tomorrow, just in case we need it if the lab work doesn't provide enough answers." Eva nodded. He gave her a weak smile and began giving directions to the nurse. Dr. Sudo was kind. He had always tried to ease Eva's anxiety, and usually, it worked, but today was different.

"Dr. Sudo." Eva finally called out before he could leave the room. He turned and met her eyes. "What is the worst-case scenario?" A long exhale left his nose as he shut the door.

"In pervious patients, results like these have indicated that chemotherapy has lost efficacy."

"That specific regimen or—"

"All chemotherapy. Most treatments, in fact." he clarified. Eva nodded, fully understanding how dire her situation really was.

* * *

It was bittersweet. Dr. Sudo had told her no biopsy was necessary, but as she sat in his office waiting for him to walk in with her results, her anxiety grew. Maybe it was something simple—something that was easy to fix. Or maybe it was so hopeless that he didn't need to look any further, no solutions existed for her current situation.

"Sorry for the wait." Dr. Sudo said as he walked in and handed her a copy of the results. "I'll give you a moment to—"

"I don't understand." Eva didn't need a moment. She could see it clear as day. It was all she could see. Tears began to sting her eyes. "I thought with this new round of chemo—" she couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence before the words choked up in her throat.

"It's not a perfect science." Dr. Sudo whispered back.

"W-what…what should I do?" The tears were flowly freely now.

"Unfortunately, I can't tell you what to do. I can only consult you on what your options are. I can go over them with you now, but if you're still unsure of what to do, bring a family member or someone you trust with you. I can consult with the two of you together." Dr. Sudo replied. Eva wiped away her tears and nodded between sniffles. "Okay, at this point, you can choose to discontinue chemotherapy…" The explanation went on for approximately 15 minutes and Eva felt like she barely processed any of it. At several moments, she found herself daydreaming, revisiting the hiking trail that she had traversed with Light, the glow of the city lights, the smell of the snow, the sound of the rain…she wished she had seen more, done more.

* * *

 _October 24, 2004_

 _I haven't told anyone yet._

 _I came home last night intending to tell mom and dad, but they both looked so happy…finally. I couldn't bring myself to do it._

 _L has been so busy prepping Misa for her interview with the Yotsuba Group that we haven't really talked…like at all. I don't even know if I want to tell him. Maybe it's better that he doesn't know, and I just quietly fade out his life. By the time he has enough time to wonder where I am…I'll be long gone._

 _And Light…I miss Light._

* * *

"Is everything okay?" Reiji asked as he observed Eva absentmindedly moving her food from one side of the plate to the other without stopping to eat.

"Hm?" Eva asked, looking up and out of her daydreams.

"You seem distracted." he said with a smirk.

"O, yea, I guess I am a little." She forced a smile and sat back in her chair. "Hey, I heard Misa Amane got a marketing deal with Yotsuba."

"It's pending." Reiji replied, tucking a lock of his hair behind his ear and returning his eyes to his plate of food. "Her interview is…" he checked his watch, "…started ten minutes ago."

"You don't have to attend stuff like that?" Eva feigned ignorance.

"Not unless I'm interested. But you're her manager, shouldn't you be attending?" he looked dead into her eyes, and there was something about his question that made her uneasy.

"No." Eva replied with a little laugh. "I quit, so I don't really have a stake in it anymore."

"That makes sense." Reiji leaned back in his chair and looked out of the window of the restaurant at the passing cars. "Pre-law students at To-Oh, especially those who scored in the top 90%, typically don't have the patience for models and actresses." Eva froze, a chill running down her spine. Reiji kept his eyes on the window, but something about his demeanor let her know that he was keenly aware of her expression and reaction.

"W-what?" Eva asked, trying to sound natural.

"I had a hunch." he explained nonchalantly, "So, I worked a few contacts through my father, and your father was more than eager to share pictures and stories about you, Eva." He finally moved his eyes back to hers, catching her like a deer in headlights. "They're quite close." When she first began investigating Reiji Namikawa, Eva would have said this exact moment was her worst fear. However, in light of recent events, she managed to calm her nerves a bit more.

"How long have you known?" she asked.

"Not long. Just a few days. Why did you lie?"

"It's a long story."

"I have time." he quickly replied. She scoffed. He clearly wasn't going to take no for an answer.

"I had kind of a falling out with my parents." Eva began, playing with her fork. "There was a lot that happened, and I…I just didn't want to hurt them."

"Hurt them?" he pried.

"I have stage four renal cancer…and I decided to stop treatment." It was a quick way to get nosy people to stop asking questions. "I can't really bring myself to tell them that. It's just easier if they think I don't want to be around them. It'll give them a chance to live without me before they have to…literally live without me."

"I see…." Reiji looked down with the same look that everyone had when they learned about her affliction: like they couldn't bear to hold the heaviness of her gaze. "Is there anything I can do?"

"Please don't tell them where I am or what I'm doing." she stated plainly, hoping it would keep him from revealing her connections, and make him uncomfortable enough to stop digging into her story all together.

"Of course."

* * *

Light yawned. He hated paperwork, regardless of how necessary it was to their investigation. He heard the distinct clicking of the elevator and spun in his chair to find Eva making a b-line to him and L. There was something different about her. Even on her worst days, Eva always had an optimistic glow about her…but it was noticeably missing today.

"How did the interview go?" she asked L.

"Fine." L mumbled in response, holding out his hand for her bug. She went to place it in his palm but hesitated. L looked up at her, his brow pulling together with concern for a moment. "What—" Eva leaned forward and whispered something in his ear. L's eyes grew wider, his brow twitched, his lips parted, and his jaw tightened.

"…I just thought you should hear it from me…instead of a recording." Eva said, quickly disappearing into the elevator again. L sat there, hand still out with the bug sitting in it, looking more terrified than Light had ever seen him look.

"Ryuzaki? What's wrong?"


	30. Chapter 30

**Author's Note:** Yea, I'm totally using this to procrastinate when I should be studying. Thanks to -279, Spark10111, and xXRitz-aholicXx for the reviews! I super appreciate you guys giving your input, and I lover hearing your suggestions/reactions. It literally keeps me going.

* * *

 **Chapter 30**

* * *

 _October 25, 2004_

 _Misa did it. She exposed who the real Kira was—or at least, she got a confession out of Kyousuke Higuchi. Sometimes being on this task force makes me feel a little worthless. Everyone is so good at…everything. I feel like I'm falling behind._

 _L and I haven't spoken since I told him. It's understandable…he's been busy planning how to catch Higuchi._

 _I just thought maybe he would make a few minutes for me._

 _Light told me investigating Namikawa isn't necessary anymore—that I should just stop interacting with him. But it feels like Reiji is the only friend I have right now._

* * *

Eva wandered down the stairs and took her seat on the couch, watching Light dial Namikawa's number from the landline. She should have been more excited about this moment. Kira would finally be caught. His killing method would finally be revealed. This is what she and Light had been dreaming of since the first killings…when they were just high school students, studying in his room. It felt like a lifetime ago.  
"Namikawa speaking." Eva heard his voice come through on the loudspeaker.

"It's L. Before I go on, are you by yourself?" Light asked.

"No."

"Then just act like it's a normal call again." Light instructed.

"I don't think there's any need for that. One of the people here with me was just expressing his suspicions about your last phone call." Namikawa explained.

"Who is that on the line, Namikawa?" Shimura asked.

"It's L." Reiji replied nonchalantly. "L, Mido and Shimura re here as well. I'm reasonably certain neither of them are Kira. In fact, they seem fed up with it at this point. I'll speak for them and say they'll choose to stand back and watch your face-off with Kira, like I plan to." Light paused for a moment and exchanged a troubled look with L.

"That's fine." L whispered, encouraging him to go on.

"Tonight, I'm going to catch Kira." Light started. "But I'll need a favor form you."

"Hm…." Reiji hummed. "Then it's the end for Higuchi."

"What? You know that it's him?!" Light glared at the phone.

"Ha! So, even the great L can be tricked." Namikawa laughed into the line. Eva was sure it hurt Light's ego. She could tell from the way his shoulders tensed. "Based on your reaction, I'm now a hundred percent sure that Higuchi is Kira."

"Namikawa's pretty smart, huh?" Misa chimed in. "But then, I always thought he was from looking at his face. I guess this proves it."

"No." L interjected. "That was just because Light messed up."

"I'm baiting Higuchi with a staged TV special tonight: Sakura TV." Light ignored the criticism and went right along with his plan, regardless of the shame he felt. "A few minutes into the program, I want you to contact Higuchi, tell him to tune in. Do that for me, and I won't go after you, or any of the other five. As for the others, Kida, Takashi, and Ooi, if they try to do anything, make sure to stop them."  
"I understand." The phone clicked and the live feed of Higuchi's cameras were brought up onto the screens. A moment of silence passed through the room as preparations began for Higuchi's downfall and eventual arrest.

"Can I come along this time?" Eva asked. Her voice sounded so loud. It echoed uncomfortably against the marble as the rest of the task force turned around to face her.

"No, it's too dangerous." Light repeated his standard line.

"Sure." L contradicted, turning back to his screens.

"What? Ryuzaki, you can't—"

"She wants to come, Light. Let her make her own decisions." L abruptly cut off the brown-haired boy, swatting away his concern as if he were speaking to a small child.

"What's gotten into you two?" Light huffed.

"It's him!" Misa called out, holding out her phone, pointing to Higuchi's caller ID. She quickly sent him to voicemail.

"That didn't take long at all…." Eva mumbled. A few more moments passed before Watari tuned into the monitors.

"Ryuzaki," he began, "Mogi is in position in front of Yoshida Productions. He's just received a call from Higuchi."

"Yes, it's time for phase two." L replied. "Everything's as planned." Watari patched through the call and Eva listened to Higuchi's panicked and angry demands to find Misa. Mogi refused the information, saying she was on a much-needed vacation. Eva began to wonder when the girl even worked. Eventually, Higuchi gave up on finding Misa, instead, shifting his attention to uncovering 'Taro Matsui's' real name.

"This is going exactly as I planned." Light whispered, in awe of the phone call. "It's almost scary."

"You shouldn't be scared, Light. You should be happy." L responded with his monotone. Eva couldn't tell if it was dry humor or if L truly didn't understand Light's turn of phrase.

"I'm patching you into Higuchi's call with the president of Yoshida Productions." Watari stated before changing the lines. The interrogation began immediately. Higuchi stated Taro's name was fake and wanted to know his real name.

"He's not even pretending to hide what he's asking about now, is he? Stupid Higuchi!" Misa giggled.

"If he's acting like that, it's proof he's beginning to panic." L agreed. The president eventually grew tired of Higuchi's endless tirade, offering him the pin code for the office lock to view the personnel files himself. It took only moments for the tracking device in one of Higuchi's cars to register movement and begin moving down the road at ridiculous rate of speed.

"I see Higuchi. He's only carrying a single bag. I'm in pursuit." Wedy checked in. Eva quickly pulled up Sakura TV and Higuchi's audio and video feed onto the monitors.

"As expected, Higuchi is watching every second of this from his car." Light commented.

"Rem, what do you think?" Higuchi suddenly asked.

"Rem?" Eva tilted her head in confusion. "Who is he talking to?"

"There's no one else in that car, right?" Light squinted at the darkness of the vehicle. "It's impossible for someone to be hiding without us knowing."

"He isn't using his cellphone." Eva added, abolishing any possibility of Bluetooth.

"Could it be a hidden radio?" Light offered.

"No, there aren't any radios or other devices in that car. Only the bugs, cameras, and tracking beacons that Wedy placed. I have no doubt that she did a thorough job." L chimed in.

"Do you think I'll get to Yoshida Productions only to find his file isn't there?" Higuchi asked the darkness.

"Maybe he's just talking to himself to plan things out?" Eva reasoned.

"If this guy was smart he would destroy everything that connects him with his real name before he appeared on TV." Higuchi continued. "And don't you think it's a little too reckless for Yoshida Productions to just let me into their offices unsupervised? Hm…maybe not. If there was a robbery, they'd figure out right away who did it, since I know where the key is."  
"This isn't sounding very good…." Misa mumbled.

"He'll still go there. Don't you worry." L reassured her.

"Even if he does have a file at Yoshida, it could be just another alias." Higuchi grumbled. "Dammit! I wouldn't put it past this guy to do something like that. No wonder he's confident." There was silence for a while. "Yea, I already know that much myself. But just to be on the safe side, I should also kill the people I contacted at Yoshida Productions. That includes the president, Misa, and that manager of hers."

"What? No way! He's gonna kill me!?" Misa harped.

"It's alright, don't worry. He's talking about doing that after he's killed Matsuda." L quickly dismissed the concern. "There'd be no point in killing the rest of you until he's gotten rid of the main threat."

"That's true, but stil—" Light began, Eva chimed in and quickly cut him off.

"He said 'yea, I know.'" She glared at the screen, peering deeper into the darkness.

"Hm?" L turned to look at her.

"Higuchi said, 'yea, I know.'" Eva repeated. "Like he was having a conversation."

"Yea, he's talking to himself." Light explained.

"No, I've never heard a rational person talk to themselves like that—like they were getting extra information to consider." Eva insisted.

"O yea!" Higuchi spoke up again. "Rem, I didn't think you were so smart. Then I'll make them all erase their call histories before they die."

"See!" Eva pointed to the screen. "That's not how normal people talk to themselves."

"…you're right." Light hesitantly admitted. "But who is Rem? Who is he talking to?"

"If he's talking to someone right now, it could be a god of death." L offered. Eva definitely recognized that as dry humor.

"Maybe he's having a psychosis from the panic? We need to be careful." Eva offered the more serious explanation.

"Perhaps." L acknowledged, taking a bit out of his banana.

"No!" Higuchi yelled. "I'd end up being ruined if I did that. Even if I forgot the notebook, this guy says he has concrete evidence to back him up. If he points out Yotsuba's recent growth on the air, no one would ever doubt his claims. They'd believe whatever he said. That means whoever he says is Kira will be marked as Kira. Even if he didn't have proof and I got rid of the evidence by returning the notebook, my life would be over. I wouldn't get promoted. I wouldn't even be able to stay at Yotsuba."

"…get rid of the evidence by returning the notebook?" Eva tilted her head the other way this time, maintaining her squint. "Did you see any of them taking notes during the meetings? Are they keeping track, like in a black book?"

"I don't think so…." Light tried to think back. "I don't remember any of them writing anything down. It would be stupid to put evidence of your crimes in writing, right?"

"Then what is he talking about? Did he keep one just in case? But why would he if he was Kira? And who would he return it to?" Eva frowned. What was this man saying? The task force watched Higuchi pull into the Yoshida Productions parking lot and make his way to the back of the office.

"We're in position and ready to take him down." Mogi came in through the radio. "We'll move in on your command."

"Right." L replied, keeping his eyes glued to the screen.

"The notebook?" Eva whispered when Higuchi pulled out a thin, black notebook and began writing 'Taro Matsui's' 'real name' into it. "Maybe he was keeping track…."

"He's not doing it!" Light slammed his hand down on the table, standing up from his seat. "He just made a note of his name before leaving. So, he's not gonna kill him here?"

"Ryuzaki, do you want us to apprehend him?" Mogi asked over the radio again.

"Negative. We still don't know how he kills." L answered. "Perhaps he's planning to do something once he's back in the car. Let's see camera one again." Eva switched the feed to the internal car camera. Higuchi sat in the driver's seat, an air of calmness about him. He quietly watched the feed on the TV in his car.

"It's weird. You'd think he'd be desperate to kill Matsuda this very second, but he's calm." Light pointed out.

"It is strange." L agreed. "If all he needed was the name, then he should've simply taken the personnel file with him, but he just put it back in the drawer after taking a note."

"Maybe he didn't want the missing file connected back to him?" Eva's explanation was flimsy at best.

" **Damn! He didn't die!** " Higuchi yelled, slamming his fists against the expensive leather of his steering wheel.

"What's he talking about?" Light's voice shook. "Did he already try and kill Matsuda?"

"Was writing his name all he had to do or was it..." L trailed off, unsure of what to make of the current situation.

"What do we do now?" Light asked. "Should we just continue watching what he's doing? What if he can cause a death by just imagining it?"

"That's going to be hard to prove…." Eva's head hurt just imagining the legal gymnastics a case like that would require. Higuchi tried called Misa again in his panic, and she sent it straight to voicemail…again. He yelled and tossed the phone across the car. He huffed and puffed, running his fingers through his spiked black hair, until finally, he took a moment to take a few deep breaths and calm himself.

"Rem. Let's make the deal." Higuchi said.

"See…like there's another person." Eva whispered.

"Could it be that Kira's powers come from another realm or another being?" Light postulated.

"I really don't want to think that's the case." L grumbled.

"Then what is this Rem he keeps talking to?" Light pushed.

"A Shinigami?" This time, L's suggestion wasn't dry humor. The task force watched Higuchi speed to what they could only presume were the Sakura TV broadcasting station. They had prepared for this eventuality. It was nothing to worry about…at least until Higuchi was pulled over by a traffic cop who nearly immediately fell over dead trying to pursue him in escape.

"This is very bad." L commented.

"Rem…a deal…." Light mumbled.

"If he had the power to kill just by looking at someone's face, Matsuda would be dead by now. Did he know that cop?" Eva asked.

"Everyone—it's too dangerous to allow any further action by Higuchi, let's bring him in. I belive he has the same powers as the second Kira. He is able to kill just by looking at someone's face. Please keep this in mind when you move in to arrest him." L suddenly commanded. He quickly contacted the NPA, directing them to stop officers from interfering. Light gave instructions to the Sakura TV team, and Eva was left with the unpleasant task of restraining Misa.

"Hey! Stop joking around!" Misa yelled, pushing against the chains around her.

"Sorry, Misa." Eva was hardly sorry. As much guilt as she felt over it, there was something satisfying about chaining down the girl L had been ogling for the past few days.

"What do you say we go join the fun?" L asked, leading Eva and Light to the helicopter pad at the top of the hotel. Watari stood at the top waiting for them. He helped Eva into the helicopter, and she tried to ignore the sniper rifle in his hands. It was a strange picture. The bulter-esque man who wore tuxes and rolled carts of sweets into L's rooms was now perched with a military-grade weapon, ready to…presumably blow someone's head off?

"You know how to fly this thing?" Eva asked when she noticed L getting into the pilot's seat.

"You can figure it out with intuition." L replied. Eva paused and looked at Watari, shaking her head with doubt.

"This was a mistake." she whispered to the old man, earning a small chuckle from him. The helicopter followed Higuchi from his initial stop at the Yotsuba Group main office, where he found all footage of Matsuda erased, to the Sakura TV broadcasting station. The anticipation of the ambush was killing Eva. This was it: Kira would finally be arrested and tried for his crimes.

"L! Higuchi has a gun on him! The chief's been shot! Higuchi's escaping!" It was the worst call that could come over the radio.

"Is he okay?!" Eva yelled into the microphone.

"I'm alright." Soichiro reassured. "Sorry, Ryuzaki. If we pursue him right now, we can still catch him."

"This is bad!" Light yelled as the helicopter moved in pursuit of Higuchi's car.

"Watari, are you ready?" L asked.

"Yes." Watari replied, aiming the rifle at Higuchi's red sports car.

"Light, I think you should hold onto this for self-defense." L pulled out a handgun, offering it to Light.

"No thanks." Light rejected it. "Handguns aren't allowed in Japan." A soft chuckle left L's throat.

"You know, I'm sure your father said the exact same thing." The helicopter followed Higuchi's car onto an isolated lane. Eva gawked at the sight of a dozen police cars forming a blockade.

"What's going on? I thought we told the police not to get involved." Watari stated.

"The only one who would do this is—" Light laughed.

"Yes, you must be right." L agreed, already knowing the name.

"Aizawa!" Eva exclaimed gleefully. L moved the helicopter lower, turning on the spotlight right on top of Higuchi's car. He made another attempt at escape, barely covering any distance before Watari shot out one of his tires, sending the car fishtailing into the guardrails. The police cars moved in to surround him, and the helicopter gently landed.

"Stay back!" Higuchi yelled, holding the gun up to his head. "Stay back or I'll shoot, I swear!" He was barely able to complete the sentence before Watari shot the gun out of his hand.

"Your aim is insane…." Eva compliment, reminding herself not to cross Watari.

"It's over." Light said with disbelief.

"Yes, it's over." L restated, though seemingly unsatisfied. L began giving out instructions for the arrest. The police moved in, pulling him out of his vehicle, handcuffing, and blindfolding him. A headset was placed on him, and L and Light began their interrogation to reveal his killing method. Eva hopped out of the helicopter, keeping her headset on as she approached Higuchi's car. She just wanted to see it…what did he write?

"The notebook." Higuchi's voice came over the headset. Eva opened his bag and stared at the beat up, black thing.

"Notebook?" L asked. What was so special about this thing? How would returning it exonerate him? Eva took it out of the bag, and something strange happened when she did. All of the sudden, she felt inexplicable resentment, rage…hatred. The faces of all the people that she had felt hurt by suddenly began to appear in her mind's eye. Why was she thinking like this all of the sudden?

"You probably won't believe me, but I've got a special notebook. If I write someone's name in it while thinking about their face, that person dies." Higuchi explained. Eva opened the book and began flipping through the pages. Some of the names were instantly recognizable as people who had died. She was sure if she began to analyze deaths with what was written in this notebook, it would match perfectly. But how could a notebook kill people? She read the cover. _Death Note._

"Eva." L called out to her over the radio.

"Yea, I've got it." Eva replied without having to hear anymore. She shut the pages and began to turn and walk back toward the helicopter. Suddenly, everything she had felt upon touching the notebook dissipated. It was replaced by pure fear. She opened her mouth, trying to form words, a cry for help, a scream, anything, but her voice betrayed her. It caught in her throat, and she could barely choke out a small peep. The monster towered over her, making no attempts to move. It reminded her of a snake. It's coloring: white and purple, as if it was a warning to stay away from something venomous, toxic, dangerous. The iris of its single, visible eyes: long and narrow. Two fangs poked out from between its lips. Its arms: like vertebrae. Its torso: like a single, powerful muscle. Eva held the notebook up to her chest as a shield of sorts.

"Eva!" L called again.

"Eva, what's wrong?" Light asked. "Eva!"

"…are you Rem?" Eva finally managed to ask. It came out as a meek whisper, and the monster smirked at her.


	31. Chapter 31

**Author's Note:** Ugh, this chapter was so hard to write.

* * *

 **Chapter 31**

* * *

"Eva?" a distant voice called out. "Eva, are you okay?" _Who is that? They're so far away. Am I dead? …Rem._ Eva's eyes shot open and she inhaled sharply, as if she had been under water, without air. The room around her was a blur, so was the figure hovering over her. She screamed, clawing at the thing. **_Monster!_** All of her animalistic fear and survival instincts kicked in at that moment. Everything she had been trying to express when she was first confronted with that snake-beast was pouring out of her. "Eva! Stop!" The figure wrapped its arms around her, holding her against her will as she squirmed. Tears began to spill out of her eyes. More screams. "Eva! You're okay!" She recognized that voice. She recognized his smell. Her breathing became less panicked and erratic. Her body relaxed slightly into his arms, or maybe it just grew exhausted from fighting. "You're okay…." he repeated softly. Eva blinked away the tears, her vision returning to normal.

"Light…what happened?" she whispered in his ear, bringing her arms around his torso. He gently leaned her back. She gripped his arms with fear, only releasing them when she realized she was being lowered into a pile of pillows. She looked around. It was her room. She was in her bed…safe. But how?

"You fainted when you saw her—the god of death, I mean." Light explained.

"Rem…." Eva tried to get up out of bed, but her head began to spin.

"Stay in bed." Light urged, pushing her back down into the pillows. You might have hurt yourself when you fell. Just give your body a little bit of rest." Eva's eyes followed the chain still attaching Light to L. The black-haired detective stood in the room uncomfortably shifting his weight from one foot to the other, his hands stubbornly shoved into his pockets. It was the first time he had made eye contact with Eva since she had told him about her decision. It was short-lived. When Eva refused to start the conversation, he simply tore his grey orbs away from hers and stared at the ground.

"Is that thing here?" Eva turned back to Light.

"Downstairs." Light said with a small nod. "Stay in bed. We'll handle it and fill you in." Eva nodded. She didn't want to be anywhere near that monster. Despite being one of the tallest buildings in the city, their headquarters wasn't big enough for both Eva and a god of death.

* * *

Eva laid in her bed, terrified. She had been sleeping with her back to the door when the clicking of the handle had woken her up. _Rem._ She as too scared to move, too scared to turn around and confirm what she thought: a god of death was behind her, ready to reap her.

"Eva." his voice gave her a momentary startle, but then relaxed her. He was no god of death. She sat up and turn toward him.

"What are you doing here?" she whispered into the dark. The moonlight from her window illuminated his face…and the stack of documents in his arms. "Everything I missed from the case?" she asked with an amused smile.

"No." L answered more seriously. "I've been researching your condition." He set the documents down on her bed and began to shuffle through them. "There are a number of medical procedures and remedies that could—" Eva quickly moved toward him and wrapped her hands around his wrists, stopping his search.

"I don't think any amount of research is going to help this, Ryuzaki." She forced a smile when he gave her the saddest look she had ever seen. "I've made my decision." She pulled on his wrists and he let the paper fall haphazardly around the bed as he climbed in to hold her.

"Are you sure about this?" L asked.

"I am." Eva answered, leaning her head against his shoulder. There was a brief pause in their conversation before L spoke up again.

"I've made arrangements with Watari, in the likely event that I'll be killed by Kira in the coming days: funds have bene secured for your treatment, health, and any complications that arise. Whatever medical decisions you make—money will not be a barrier to them."

"Don't say that." Eva admonished. She lifted her head and planted a kiss on his cheek, surprised to find it wet against her lips. "…Ryuzaki?" Eva understood then: L hadn't been distant from her because he didn't care; he had been distant because he cared too much. "It'll be okay." she whispered, hugging him tightly.

* * *

 _November 5, 2004_

 _I'm so happy to have found love._

 _True love._

* * *

Eva laid in bed smiling. The heavy rain pounded against her slightly open window, filling the room with its smell. She tightened the sheets around her naked body and pushed herself further into L's warmth. They had made love every night since he had uncuffed himself from Light, and they had planned to make up for the lost time. Waking up in his arms every morning was exactly how she had imagined her life. This was her true happiness. She smiled when he shifted in bed behind her, tightening his arm around her torso, and kissing her neck.

"Ryuzaki…listen." Eva whispered, running her hand through his hair.

"What is it?" he asked, stopping his movements. The distant ringing soothed her. Eva closed her eyes and smiled. She could hear it even through the heavy rain.

"Church bells…."

"I don't hear them." L admitted.

"Really?" Eva asked. "They're so loud…." L shook his head and smiled, throwing off the sheets and heading to the bathroom to shower. The duo went through their separate morning routines and headed downstairs to the main room. Eva uncomfortably shifted around Rem. Rem watched her closely, like a predator eyeing its prey. Every bone in Eva's body wanted her to run away screaming in the opposite direction, but she fought the urge. She had to stop receiving briefings and actually rejoin the case at some point. Chances were this god of death wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. Eva flipped on her computer, and immediately noticed the news headline on her homepage. "No way…." _Kira…._

* * *

The task force dug through information: sixteen confirmed deaths after Higuchi's death that fit Kira's modus operandi. There was yet another Kira. It felt so hopeless.

"These killings began as soon as Misa was free, didn't they?" L asked.

"Ryuzaki, are you still going on about that? She has nothing to do with this!" Light seemed strange…defensive. He had never shown so much care and protection toward Misa before. Why was he acting like this all of the sudden? "Think about it: this started as soon as Higuchi died."

"I suppose you're right." L mumbled, emptying out his box of cookies on the table in front of him. "O well. If there is another notebook floating around out there and someone is now using it to kill criminals, I'll just have to bring that person to justice." L bit off the head of his panda-shaped cookie.

"Ryuzaki, I've been thinking: even if we do manage to catch the person who's been writing names in the notebook, will we really be able convict and punish them for mass homicide?" Light asked.

"What?" Eva and Matsuda asked in unison, turning to face Light.

"Of course, we can." Eva answered. "Haven't you staked everything, your career, your education, on that?"

"Yea! This guy's intentionally writing names in the notebook, knowing that these people are going to die. Even if we don't plan on publicly acknowledging the notebook, the least we can do is execute the killer." Matsuda added.

"It's not a very humane way to do things, but the higher ups would probably want to take measures like that." Aizawa agreed.

"If they admit to killing with the notebook, they'd receive the death penalty, or life in prison, at least." L took another bite of his cookie. "That's the best that they could hope for." he mumbled with a full mouth. Eva thought she saw a smirk on Light's face. _What's gotten into him?_

* * *

"What happened to you two?" Eva asked, eyeing a soaking wet Light Yagami and an equally drenched L as they entered the main room of the headquarters.

"He was going on and on about bells." Light grumbled with a roll of his eyes.

"Ryuzaki! You somehow got permission to use the notebook for an execution in another country?!" Matsuda yelled, cutting straight to the chase.

"Excellent work, Watari. Thank you." L stated, ignoring the outrage. He crouched down in front of his computer, hosting the capital Cloister Black 'W.'

"Not at all." Watari replied.

"First thing's first: please make arrangements to transport the notebook." L instructed.

"Right."

"Ryuzaki, what are you trying to do?" Light asked.

"I'm going to try out the notebook for real." L replied, tapping a spoon against the pages of the Death Note. One corner was distinctly torn.

"We can't do that!" Aizawa yelled, standing up from his desk chair. "And there's no point in testing it out now when we already know the notebook's power is real."

"There is reason to test the rules." Eva chimed in. "If we know exactly the parameters Kira was working in, it would be much easier to figure out where this all originated."

"But who's going to write the name?" Matsuda questioned, still skeptical about the plan. "If someone starts writing in the notebook, they'll have to obey the thirteen day rule and keep writing names forever."

"It's already been worked out." L assured. "The person who will write in the book is a criminal scheduled to be executed in just over thirteen days. If he's still alive in thirteen days after writing the name, he'll be pardoned from execution."

"But still…to sacrifice a life—" Soichiro started.

"We're very close!" L yelled, cutting him off. If we work this out, the entire case will be solved." As if on cue, Eva heard a deafening clap of thunder and lights momentarily went off before the system rebooted on a generator.

"A blackout?" Eva asked, standing from her chair.

"Watari?" L called out, hoping to receive an answer. All screens went white, stating "All data deletion" and nothing else.

"Data deletion? What the hell's going on?" Aizawa yelled.

"I told Watari to make sure that he should erase all information in the event that something were to happen to him." L explained through gritted teeth.

"Something? Like what? Is he okay?" Eva began looking around. "…hey."

"Where is the god of death?!" She wasn't sure who asked the question. The fear and panic began to set in again. Eva looked around the room frantically. _Rem…where is Rem?_

"I don't see it!"

"It disappeared!"

"What's going on?!" The voices were all a blur now. Eva turned around to face L and saw him freeze in mid-sentence.

"Ryuzaki?" Eva asked, taking a timid step toward him. It felt like an eternity. Eva watched L's body slowly fall from his chair. She watched Light dive for him, holding his head up before it could hit the ground. Her body felt so slow as she ran to stand by his side and caught his fleeting last moments. She dropped to her knees, taking him from Light's arms. She barely saw the whites of his eyes beneath his closed lids and lashes, she barely felt his last exhale against her face. Then there was nothing. No pulse, no heartbeat, no breath…no L. Eva ignored the commotion around her, focusing only on L. She stroked his face gently as her tears fell from her chin and landed on his already wet shirt. "Wake up…."

 _Would you like to trade seats with me? I don't need to get up during the exam._

 _Really? That would be wonderful! Thank you so much!_

* * *

 _November 6, 2004_

 _This notebook is all I have left of him…and I can't even bear to look at it. Every time I see his writing, his words…I want to die. It's too painful to live without him._

* * *

Light stood at the entrance of the headquarters, waiting for Eva's car to pull up. This was it. He had gotten rid of everything in his way. He was the god of the new world. All he needed now was his queen. She had gone with the paramedics who had declared L dead on arrival. She had given them his alias and identified the body. It must have been unpleasant for her, sure, but it was a necessary pain. Now they could set all of their distractions aside and truly make each other happy. Light smiled as the car stopped at the curb and Eva stepped out. His smile quickly fell when he noticed the lifeless, emotionless look on her face. She was hard as stone. She made no attempts at eye contact or conversation, opting to walk right by him, as if he were a god of death lurking in the shadows, invisible to her.

"Eva…." he called out to her. She ignored him as she stepped onto the elevator, nearly letting the doors close on him. "Talk to me." No words were exchanged as she stepped off the elevator and made her way into her room, packing her bags. "We don't have to move out the headquarters so soon…."

"I'm stepping off the Kira investigation." Her voice sounded raspy and hoarse, as if she had been screaming.

"What? Don't you want revenge?" Light pushed as she packed the last of her things and carried the bag to L's room. She opened his drawer and her face broke. Eva gently lifted his shirt out of a drawer and brought it to her nose, inhaling deeply. Tears spilled from her eyes.

"No…I just want L back." she finally answered, packing his clothes as well. The answer pained Light. It was a blow he wasn't sure he would recover from. He had done all of this for her. How could he make her see that? How could he make her see how much he loved her?

"I don't think you should be by yourself." Light said, wrapping his arms around her. She didn't reciprocate the gesture. "Come stay with me for a while."

"Goodbye, Light." She pulled away from him, tearing him in half as she disappeared into the elevator.


	32. Chapter 32

**Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews and encouragement guys! Look forward to hearing your thoughts on this chapter.

* * *

 **Chapter 32**

* * *

 _November 15, 2004_

 _Light isn't Kira._

* * *

"Do you think he really could be Kira?" Liliana asked, holding her daughter close as they laid in Eva's bed together.

"No…." Eva responded weakly. "Light knew how I felt about L…he wouldn't hurt me like that."

"Then why won't you see him? He's stopped by every day since L passed awa—"

"Was murdered." Eva corrected.

"Was murdered." Liliana agreed.

"I don't know…. I just can't." Eva closed her eyes, listening to the indistinct chatter downstairs. He was back again. It only took a few moments for her father to come upstairs and give her the same pained smile he had been giving her since she came back home. It couldn't have been easy for him. All he wanted was to protect his daughter, and here she was, absolutely devastated and heartbroken.

"You have a visitor." Ben said. Eva shook her head at him.

"I don't want to see him."

"I'm hurt." the voice came from behind her father. The door opened a bit more before Reiji stepped in with a bouquet of flowers.

"W-what are you…how did you know—"

"Our fathers are very close." Reiji replied with a smile, setting the flowers down by her bed. "I heard you haven't been feeling well, so I decided to come see how you were doing."

"You knew who I was the whole time, didn't you?" Eva ignored his sentiments.

"From the moment we met." Reiji agreed, swiveling her desk chair around and taking a seat.

"Why did you pretend—"

"You were clearly worried about your identity being discovered. I didn't want to alarm you." he explained.

"We'll let you two catch up." Liliana said with a small smile, pulling herself out of bed and hooking Ben's arm to guide him out of the room.

"Leave the door open!" Ben called from down the hall. Eva couldn't help but to laugh given her recent diagnosis. What else was he worried about happening to her? Eva sat up against the pillows, pulling the blankets closer to her.

"So, why are you really here?" she pried.

"I've been noncommittal in the past, but I really like you, Eva. And given recent events, I don't think I have much time to waste if I want to be with you." Reiji started. Eva immediately shook her head and looked away from him.

"You don't understand the full context."

"I do." he assured.

"How could you?"

"Your father filled me in on that as well."

"For someone who worked so closely with the CIA, he sure does run his mouth a lot." Eva rolled her eyes. "So…he told you everything?"

"Everything." Reiji repeated.

"My time is so limited…I don't understand why you would want to be with someone you can't enjoy a full life with." Eva watched him closely. He smiled.

"And I could walk out to my car right now and die in an accident. We're all holding onto life by a fragile thread. It could be gone tomorrow, but that's no reason to not live today. At least try it with me." He held out his hand for her, and Eva gently took it.

"Okay."

"Good." Reiji leaned over, kissed the top of Eva's head and stood. "I'll be here tomorrow morning to take you to your doctor's appointment. They'll have final results then, correct?"

"Yea." Eva nodded, amazed that this man was willing to sacrifice so much for her.

* * *

 _November 16, 2004_

 _It's going to be okay._

 _The doctor said that all of the test results came back within normal ranges. The delayed chemo will be harmful…but better late than never, right L?_

 _I'm so relieved._

 _I'm so sorry I couldn't share this moment with you._

 _I know you didn't believe in an afterlife…but maybe if there are gods of death looking down on us…maybe you are too._

* * *

"Light!" Ryuk called out to the brown-haired man standing at his balcony. He had been glaring down at the street below him for nearly a full minute. "I thought we were just coming here to pack." The god of death looked around the room. Books and personal effects had been crammed into small boxes "Light! Answer me when I'm talking to you!" Ryuk stepped out onto the balcony, noticing Light gripping the railing with white knuckles. "…huh?" He followed the man's sight to the street below. A dry laugh erupted from Ryuk's throat. The entire situation was comical to him.

"I'll kill him…I'll kill all of them." Light whispered through gritted teeth.

"I guess you really can't catch a break, can you?" Ryuk laughed again, watching Reiji Namikawa help Eva into his limo.

* * *

 _December 15, 2004_

 _I wish you were here, L._

 _I wish you could tell me what you wanted._

* * *

A sharp knock on the door made Eva jump. Her spoon clattered against the ceramic bowl her dinner sat in.

"Were you expecting someone?" Ben asked, wiping his face with a napkin and standing from the dinner table. Eva shook her head, glancing over at her mother. Liliana shrugged.

"I wasn't either." she replied.

"Okay." Ben approached the door and peeked through the peephole. He opened the door to the short, scrawny old white man that stood in front of him. "Who are you?" Ben asked, opting to skip the Japanese. The old man straightened out his glasses and stared up at Ben, his bushy eyebrows seemed heavy with concern.

"Good afternoon." the man replied in a British accent. "I'm here to see Eva Reyes."

"How about you give me a name first." Ben glared down at him, his anger growing. Eva stepped around the corner at hearing her name. The old man's eyes moved from Ben to her.

"I see you decided to keep the child." Eva instinctively moved her hands to the small bump in her stomach.

"Eva…do you know this man?" Ben asked, turning to his daughter. The old man took the opportunity to enter the door. "H-hey!"

"Forgive me. My name is Roger. I am the manager of Wammy's House." Roger said, shuffling through his briefcase.

"L's home…." Eva whispered, all concerns about this man being lifted.

"Yes, I see he told you." Eva nodded and Ben closed the door, leading the man into the dining room. They all took their seats and Roger continued his introductions. "L had made monetary arrangements for your care and the care of your child, should you decide to keep—"

"I'm keeping my child." Eva quickly cut him off. "All of the test results on the fetus came back within normal ranges. I'm stopping chemo while I'm pregnant, and I'll resume it after."

"I see." Roger took a deep breath and handed Eva a check. She gawked at the amount written on it.

"I-I don't need this much." Eva pushed the check back to Roger who quickly rejected it.

"It was L's wish that his child be taken care of. Unfortunately, that was the only wish he was able to express, related to his child, prior to his untimely death."

"What do you mean?" Eva asked, glancing at her parents.

"While L did not have a home or family in the traditional sense, he did have the finest education available. Watari founded many orphanages, but Wammy's House was specifically for gifted children." Roger took a moment to look up at Eva, confusion prominent on her face. "L's child should have the same educational opportunities that he had. Wouldn't you agree?"

"You…want me to put my child in an orphanage?" Eva asked, holding her bump.

"No, of course not. I would like to visit once a year after your child is born. I would like to assess their development and intellectual capacity. If it is in line with what we typically see within Wammy's House…I would like for you to move to England so that your child's education and development can be overseen by Wammy's House." Roger explained. Eva's head spun with the influx of information.

"I'm sorry…I can't answer that. I have no idea—"

"I understand." Roger stood and began packing his briefcase. "I don't expect you to make such a heavy decision with such short notice. All I ask for now is for the assessments. You can make your final decision once the child is three."

"Okay…."

"Wow." Liliana whispered as Ben lead Roger from the living room to the front door.

"What do you think I should do?" Eva asked her mother. Liliana smiled at her daughter.

"I think you should go. Change your name, deny any knowledge of the Kira case, and go live a normal, new life in England. The change will be good for you."

* * *

 _April 10, 2005_

 _I finally feel like I have a family again._

* * *

Eva's eyes fluttered open at the feeling of soft kisses being planted on her shoulder. She smiled carefully turned in the full-size bed to Reiji.

"Sorry you have to squeeze into this tiny bed with me." she whispered, running her fingers across his jaw.

"We'll get a bigger one soon."

"When we move to England?" she asked. Reiji laughed and sat up, pulling the covers off his lap and redressing into the suit from his previous night.

"I don't think I can wait that long." Reiji turned and kissed Eva, stopped to also plant a kiss on her stomach. "There are a few more open houses we can go look at today."

"Are you sure it's a good idea to buy a house when we know we're going to move in three years?"

"We'll need a place to stay when we come back to visit your parents, won't we?"

"You don't want all three of us to squeeze into this bed when we visit?" Eva joked. Reiji rolled his eyes.

"God no." He didn't bother to put on his tie or his blazer.

"You're going to work like that?" Eva asked. He didn't look bad. His shirt was free of wrinkles, as were his slacks. He looked perfectly acceptable to the average person. It was just a stark contrast between how polished his appearance usually was. Reiji never would have dreamed of showing up to work without a full suit and tie prior to his engagement with Eva.

"I technically took the day off. I just have to go in for one meeting. I'll be back in a few hours."

"I like that a few hours of work is your definition of a day off." Eva shook her head and slowly pulled herself out of bed, maneuvering around the support pillows needed for sleep now.

"Better four than twelve." Reiji gave her another kiss before rushing out of the door.

"True…." Eva laughed to herself, making her way downstairs to breakfast with her parents.

* * *

"Light…what are you doing here?" The brown-haired man jumped at hearing his name, standing up to greet Eva's mother.

"Mrs. Reyes, I heard Eva was in the hospital from my mother. I just wanted to check in on her." he quickly explained. "What happened? Is she okay?"

"She's…stable." Liliana replied, motioning for the boy to sit and taking a seat across from him in the waiting room. Doctors and nurses rushed past them. "She was seeing this guy and he died in a car accident today. She didn't really handle the news well, and a few hours later she was drifting in and out of consciousness and we admitted her for low blood pressure."

"She had hypotension before, right?" Light asked, trying to ease his own guilt. Had he done this to her? Liliana didn't answer him. "Can I see her?" She bit her lip, taking a moment to consider his proposal. She sized him up: his leg had been bouncing in place anxiously, the distress was clear on his face, and he was pale, with bags under his eyes, as if he hadn't eaten or slept in a few days.

"Just for a few minutes." Liliana stood, leading him to Eva's room. Light saw this tiny girl that he loved so dearly hooked up to what felt like a hundred wires. They monitored her heart rate, her breathing, her—he paused when he noticed the bump in her stomach. It was unmistakable.

"She's pregnant?" Light took a step closer and Liliana grabbed his arm.

"Six months. I think we should go now, before we wake her up." Light said nothing as was pulled out of her room. _L's child…it has to be. There's no one else…._

"Why wouldn't she tell me?" Light asked, still staring at Eva through the window embedded in the hospital door. "Why wouldn't she let me help her?"

"I think she already had all of the help she needed…at least until Reiji's accident." Liliana replied. Light felt sick. Namikawa had been caring for her? She trusted a man she barely knew over him? Why was she so cold all of the sudden? Why was she keeping him at arm's length? "You should go, Light. I don't think she can handle any visitors in her current state."

"How long?" Light whispered, leaning his head against Eva's door.

"Hm?" Liliana asked, tilting her head in confusion. "What did you say?"

"You know I can't tell you that." Ryuk replied, hovering over Light. "I'm forbidden from revealing anyone's lifespans."

"Light?" Liliana asked again.

"Sorry." Light mumbled. He turned and walked out of the hospital, into the cold night. He looked around, making sure he was alone with the hum of the streetlight and the sound of wet car tires on damp pavement. _I could have Misa tell me her remaining lifespan. No, if I involve Misa, she might assume I have feelings for Eva and try to kill her._ "Ryuk?"

"Hm" the god of death asked.

"How does the Death Note work on pregnant women?"

"Once there's a heartbeat, you'll need both names."

"I see…so if someone wrote Eva's name in a Death Note while she was pregnant…."

"It wouldn't work." Ryuk finished for him. "It can't be used like that."

"Good." Light replied. _I have three months…three months to establish my position as L with the police. Once I set up this investigation so that everyone is chasing their tails, I can have Misa fulfill her purpose and finally get rid of her. It'll finally be over. I'll finally have achieved everything I wanted. I'll have my new world._


	33. Chapter 33

**Author's Note:** Aren't you guys so glad when I have exams? I just write instead of studying.

* * *

 **Chapter 33**

* * *

 _May 1, 2005_

 _We just picked up and moved. It would've felt stranger if we hadn't done it a thousand times before. The only weird part was not telling anyone._

 _Mom's been worried lately. It's bizarre. She's usually the calm one. She told me that Light came to see me when I was in the hospital…and how he was acting, it just freaked her out. I don't know why. Light isn't Kira. But she still insisted we move and not tell anyone._

 _It only took them a few weeks to find me a place in Winchester. It feels so lonely here knowing they're across an ocean in Los Angeles. What if something happens? I can't just go downstairs and see them._

 _Roger said I could call him if I needed anything, but I barely know him. It would feel strange asking him for help._

* * *

 _June 5, 2005_

 _I wish you were still here, L._

 _Roger stopped by today and gave me the box you prepared for me. So, that's really your real name? Is that why you didn't want us to call you L? I really thought it might have just been for security. I guess, in a way, it was._

 _This picture of you from when you were eight is adorable. I wish I had something more recent, but I'll treasure it forever._

 _Thanks for thinking of me…even in your final moments._

* * *

 _July 30, 2005_

 _Your son was born early this morning, L._

 _They scheduled a c-section to avoid any complications with the birth. I had no idea they would keep me awake during the procedure. It didn't hurt, and I got to hold him as soon as he was born, but it was still a little scary, you know? They cut me open and pulled this beautiful boy out of me. I wish you could have been there for this birth._

 _52.6 centimeters, and 3.7 kilograms._

 _Elliot Reyes._

 _The doctor said he's tall, but a little skinny._

 _Just like his father._

* * *

 _August 24, 2005_

 _All of El's checkups are going so well! I'm so relieved._

 _He's so cute, L. I wish you could see the way his face lights up when he hears my voice._

 _He can already tell apart grandma and grandpa and mom. …I wish he had dad, too._

* * *

 _October 31, 2005_

 _Happy birthday, L._

* * *

 _December 13, 2005_

 _He said mama! It was a little incoherent, but I'm sure of it!_ _He said mama!_

* * *

 _February 2, 2006_

 _I started chemo again, today._

 _I'm finally done breastfeeding, so it's time to be exhausted for an entirely different reason._

 _It's strange…I've felt okay the whole time I've been off chemo. Maybe going back on it is a mistake._

 _What do you think, L?_

* * *

 _March 28, 2006_

 _Ugh, fine. I stayed on chemo. I know you would just give me that judgmental look for thinking I know better than the doctors, or not taking care of myself, so I'm back on it. I hope you're happy. I feel like crap._

 _The only thing that makes it better is El. He's growing up so fast! He's already crawling around and able to pull himself up into a standing position. I always praise him when he does, and he gives me the cutest little smile!_

* * *

 _April 5, 2006_

 _He took his first few steps while holding onto the couch, today. You should have seen the focus in his eyes. That kid is going places._

* * *

 _July 30, 2006_

 _Today was El's first birthday. My parents came all the way from Los Angeles to celebrate it. Not that they needed a reason—they've been visiting at least once a month. They can't get enough of El. Mom says I should cut his hair, but I think I'm going to let it keep growing out._

 _Truth is, I just can't bring myself to cut it. He looks so much like you. Somehow, his jet-black hair always ends up in a tussled mess. The only thing of mine is has is his eyes. They're green like mine._

 _Roger noticed it today, too. He stopped by to do this first assessment, and the first thing he said was that El was the spitting image of you. I think Roger's opinion was only reinforced during El's first assessment. He did so well! He was able to point at the correct image when Roger called out its name, he was able to follow basic instructions, and even do some basic puzzles like put the correct peg in the corresponding hole._

 _You would be proud of your son, L._

 _He's a genius._

 _Just like his father._

* * *

 _September 23, 2006_

 _He took his first steps! No support of the couch, no need for my hand, just him walking to me. Even when he stumbled and fell, he just smiled, and got back up._

 _How is he so much like you?_

* * *

 _October 31, 2006_

 _Remember when we first met? I could never prove it, but it felt like you saw me as a child._

 _It faded as we got to know each other more…but it always lingered in the back of my mind. After all, I was only seventeen, and you were twenty-four._

 _But look at how much I've grown in two years._

 _I wonder how you'd look at me now._

 _Happy twenty-seventh birthday, L._

* * *

 _November 3, 2006_

 _I saw El building a tower today with his blocks. He can get up to six pretty easily, but he always struggles past that. He'll get the hang of it. Soon, he'll be building towers as high as you._

 _I should buy him sugar cubes…._

* * *

 _January 18, 2007_

 _Alright, the sugar cubes were a bad idea. He ate all of them and wouldn't go to bed all night._

 _I wish you were here to stop me when I'm about to do something dumb. You would've seen that coming._

 _He's growing up so fast, L. He's already recognizing and naming people, he can put together small two to three word sentences, he knows a ton of words, and he's even started writing little by little. It's not anything legible, yet. But I know he'll get there._

 _O, and the night he was high on sugar cubes, he figured out how to run, so there's that._

 _I wish you were here._

* * *

 _February 20, 2007_

 _El had his first nightmare tonight. I spent an hour doing monster checks throughout his entire room just for him to crawl into bed with me. I know I shouldn't make a habit of it, but he looked so cute, and he slept so soundly next to me._

* * *

 _March 19, 2007_

 _I've been trying to get El to read for the last month, and he's making a little bit of progress._

 _Sometimes, he gets a little frustrated and I feel so bad._

 _Am I pushing him too hard? He's almost two…but that's still so young. I don't want to hold him up against some impossible standard or force things on him._

 _I just want him to be happy._

* * *

 _May 1, 2007_

 _Our child is a genius. He read fully through his first book today in one sitting. He's even able to copy some of the words down in writing. And it's semi-legible!_

 _L, you gave me the single greatest gift in the world._

* * *

 _July 30, 2007_

 _He's two years old and showing so much promise._

 _He really is exactly like you._

 _Roger couldn't take his eyes off him during the second assessment. I don't blame him. El is so cute. Sometimes I just stare at him, too._

 _It went really, well, by the way. Roger says El is more than capable of filling his father's shoes._

* * *

 _October 31, 2007_

 _I showed El your picture today. I told him it was a picture of his dad when he was younger._

 _El touched you face and then asked me where you were. I should've been more prepared for that question. I told him you were in a special place. He asked if we could go see you. I told him only if we live good lives where we're kind to others and do the right thing. I don't know if he understood me, but he nodded like he did._

 _Maybe it was too soon._

* * *

 _January 7, 2008_

 _We spent the holidays in Los Angeles this year. Mom and Dad bought this gorgeous house in Beverly Hills. I took El swimming in the pool and he loved it._

 _But it still felt empty without you there, L._

* * *

 _April 17, 2008_

 _El got his first scraped knee at the park. He took it like a champ: no tears, no whining, not even when I cleaned it and put a bandage over it._

 _He's brave like you, L. I wanted to cry just looking at it. I can't stand the thought of my poor baby getting hurt._

* * *

 _July 30, 2008_

 _He's like a little human! He's speaking in full, simple sentences, he's solving small puzzles, he's reading, writing, following multi-part instructions…he's amazing. Roger says he's ready to come to Wammy's House and begin his lessons._

 _You would be proud of your son, L._

* * *

 _August 5, 2008_

 _Tomorrow is our first day at Wammy's House. I'm excited to see where you grew up._

 _I wish El could just get his lessons from you…I know it's silly to keep saying it, but…_

 _I'll never stop wishing for that._


	34. Chapter 34

**Author's Note:** I'm so going to fail this test.

* * *

 **Chapter 34**

* * *

 _August 6, 2008_

 _How did you do it, L? How did you sit across from so many suffering children? They have food, water, a warm bed, all of the bare necessities of life…but they look so sad._

* * *

"Mm…mom." The small child tightened his grip on his mother's hand and slowed his pace, staring up at the bronzed gates of the mansion before them. Eva smiled down at him, stopping to kneel until they were face to face.

"Are you nervous?" she asked, gently running her fingers through his messy, black hair. He nodded. "Me too." she admitted with a laugh. "It's okay to be nervous, but we can't let that stop us from doing things…living our life, right?" The child gave her a skeptical look. "I won't make you stay if you don't like it. But give it a chance?" He gave her a thoughtful look. "For me?" she asked with hands clasped together in front her face. Elliot nodded and she planted a kiss on his cheek. "C'mon, let's go see Roger. You remember him, right?"

They stepped past the gates, past the children playing in the halls, past the beautiful wooden halls and the stained-glass windows, into an elegantly furnished waiting room. Eva had just pulled Elliot onto her lap when he began to squirm and wiggle away from here.

"Hm? What's wrong?" she asked as she followed him with her eyes. She hadn't even noticed the other boy in the room, quietly working on a jigsaw puzzle. Elliot made his way over to the boy on the other side of the room, stopping halfway between Eva and the boy to pick up something. A normal mother would have been inclined to check what it was to prevent her toddler from stuffing it into their mouth, but Eva just watched him. The boy glanced up for a moment through messy white bangs when Elliot neared him.

"You lost this." Elliot whispered, holding out a puzzle piece for him.

"Thanks." the white-haired boy replied, simply taking the puzzle piece and returning it to the board. Elliot stood there, watching the boy click piece after piece into place, mesmerized by the movements. Eventually, when his feet grew tired of standing, he lowered himself to the ground, trying to mimic the sitting position of the boy. "What's your name?"

"El." Elliot replied, picking up a piece and setting it into place. Eva wasn't sure if the look of shock on the white-haired boy's face was from the name or from the action. Maybe he didn't like other kids touching his puzzle. The white-haired boy looked up, really taking the time to examine Elliot: his tousled black hair, his heart-shaped face, his large alert eyes, even the semi-loose fitting of his clothes. The white-haired boy turned his eyes to Eva.

"I see…." he mumbled under his breath, returning to the puzzle and clicking the final piece into the board. "You must be L's child."

"Eva." Roger's voice interrupted her thoughts. She quickly stood and greeted the man. He turned his attention to the two boys and a hint of a smile flashed across his lips. "I see you've already met Near."

"I think El's met him." Eva said with a small laugh. "I haven't had the pleasure."

"Near, come here for a moment, and bring El with you." The white-haired boy stood from the floor and offered his hand to Elliot, who gladly took it. The pair made their way over to Roger and Eva. "Eva, I want to introduce you to L's successor, Near."

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Near replied in the same monotone that he had been speaking in earlier.

"Wow…L's successor. No wonder El took such a liking to you immediately." Eva said with a smile. Near looked away, perhaps embarrassed by Eva and El's immediate affection toward him. He tugged on a strand of his white hair, nervously twirling it around his index finger.

"Near will be mentoring El for the next few years." Roger explained.

"That's wonderful!" Eva exclaimed. "I'm looking forward to getting to know you, Near."

* * *

 _November 3, 2008_

 _These kids are so amazing, L. I've been spending my day with all of them, trying to provide them with a little bit of the care and comfort your son has been so lucky to grow up with. I wish I had more time._

 _I've grown so close to Near. He really admires you, you know? Even if he pretends like he doesn't. He's a sensitive boy…I can see it._

 _I know mom told me to deny any knowledge of the Kira case…but I can't see him like that. I need to help him._

 _What do you think, L?_

* * *

"Near?" Eva whispered to the boy who laid collapsed in the library with exhaustion. She rubbed his back slowly as he stirred from his sleep. "Near, you should sleep in your bed."

"I can't." Near mumbled as he sat back up, returning to the stacks of documents in front of him. Eva sighed and sat with him, leafing through some of the pages. It had been almost four years since L's death, and in the entire length of time that Eva had been at Wammy's House, she had seen Near toil over the Kira case. He had done a phenomenal job putting together patterns, timelines, and even some people…but he wasn't omniscient. There was no way he could put this case back together from scratch.

"Did Roger ever tell you how L and I met?" Eva asked, scooting closer to Near and wrapping an arm around him.

"No." Near mumbled, picking up a different paper to examine.

"We worked on the Kira investigation together." Eva watched the young boy freeze, turning his head slightly toward her to acknowledge that she had captured his interest. "Let me help fill in the gaps for you." It came spilling out of Eva like a torrent. The notebook, the gods of death, the heart attacks, the accidental deaths, the meetings, the experiments, the confinements, the rules, L's suspicion that they were fake, L's suspicion that he would die, L's suspicion of Light Yagami, of Misa Amane, L's death, Reiji's death…and finally, her departure. When it was all said…Near sat there, eyes agape, trying to absorb the inundation of information.

"Do you think he was right?" Near finally asked.

"About what?" Eva asked, hoping he was referring to the notebook.

"About Light Yagami being Kira." Near clarified. Eva bit her lip and shifted uncomfortably.

"No." she responded firmly. "Light isn't Kira…but he is probably the new L, and the notebook is most likely within the NPA's possession. They weren't even planning to publicly acknowledge its existence. I can't imagine they'd surrender it to anyone."

"Then why did you feel like you had to hide from him?" Near asked.

"I wasn't hiding from Light…." Eva was caught off by the accusation.

"He was your best friend, no?" Near began shuffling through the papers again. "Why leave without saying anything to him?" Eva remained silent. She had no answer for him. She hadn't answered the question herself. Just repeated the same phrase over and over again. _Light isn't Kira._

"I hope I was able to help." Eva stood and felt a gentle tug on her hand. She looked down at the top of Near's head.

"Don't go." Near whispered. Eva didn't reply, but simply sat back down and cradled the boy in her arms. She had never stopped to consider the immense burden he had to bear. L's name brought prestige, but an unimaginable amount of pressure as well.

"L would be so proud of you." Eva said as she stroked his hair.

* * *

 _March 1, 2009_

 _I'm going to help bring Kira to justice for you, L._

 _I completely lost hope after you died...but you did a good job mentoring Near. He gives me hope again._

* * *

Eva knocked on the wooden office door and turned the bronze knob to open it to peek inside. Roger motioned her in, and Eva walked over, letting the heavy door shut itself behind her.

"You wanted to see me, Roger?" Eva glanced at the other man in the room: bald, heavyset, thick grey mustache, and a black suit and tie. She gave him a quick smile before turning her attention back to Roger. Her heart suddenly skipped a beat and she turned back to the man. She took in the features of his face, trying to place him.

"Steve?" Eva finally said. The man smiled and she ran to him, throwing her arms around his neck. "O my god, Steve! It's been so long!"

"Eva…you look exactly like your mother." Steve Mason replied, pulling away to observe her. "I can't believe how grown up you are."

"I know…I have a kid and everything." Eva said through a laugh and a few tears. Steve had been such a huge part of her life growing up. He would watch her when her parents were out of town, she grew up playing with his daughter who was around her age, he would even come to a few school plays and performances when her parents couldn't. When it came time to assign Eva's godparents, even her father had to admit, however begrudgingly, that Steve and his wife were the best choice. Another knock on the door interrupted the reunion. Near shuffled in and took a crouching seat on a chair, much like L, but with less scoliosis.

"Now that you're all here, I'd like to discuss the establishment of a new Kira task force." Roger began.

"Eva, you have a child to consider now." Steve said, placing his large hand on her shoulder. "No one would blame you if you decided not to join."

"I do…." Eva said with a smile. "I have every child in Wammy's House to consider now." She turned to Near, and for a brief second, she thought she saw someone behind him. A flash of black hair, a glimmer of grey eyes, the ghost of a sweet smile.

"Eva?" Roger asked when she stopped talking abruptly. Eva shook herself from the feeling. _L…._ Near was staring up at her now. She met his eyes and smiled again.

"I won't go, Near. You have me for as long as you need me." she reassured the boy, earning a small smile from him in return.


	35. Chapter 35

**Author's Note:** Phew! We got an A on the test. Good work, guys. We did it. :)

* * *

 **Chapter 35**

* * *

 _October 12, 2009_

 _I didn't think it would bother me as much as it did…._

 _Even knowing you're gone, I can't stand to hear anyone else pretending to be you._

* * *

Eva smiled down at Elliot and Near, watching them build towers out of matches (one much neater than the other).

"Near." Anthony Rester, the Special Provision for Kira's operations manager called out form his desk. "We've just received word that the director of the Japanese police agency has been killed." Eva's smile fell, the dreadful news reminding her of her surroundings: a brand new headquarters dedicated to catching Kira, equipped with bedrooms, research facilities, and even a library so they would rarely have to leave. The dark grey chrome interior depressed her, as did the constant news of death and dismay.

"I see." Near replied, carefully stacking more matches. "By whom?"

"The kidnappers, of course. Who else?" Rester seemed confused by the question. His light blue eyes squinted at the young detective.

"It'd be interesting if it turned out to be Kira" Stephen Gevanni, another SPK member chimed in.

"That's a very good point." Near commended. "The police won't be trading their notebook if the hostage is dead, so it protects Kira's interests. And if it is in fact Kira…." Near glanced at Eva for a brief moment. "Well, that can narrow down our list of suspects significantly." Eva ignored the questioning looks she received from the other SPK members. She was not interested in Near's assumptions and speculations. She had never been interested in L's either. A strange sort of anger washed over her. She was mad…but she wasn't sure at whom. "By the way, Commander Rester, have you been able to determine his whereabouts yet?" Near pulled out a photograph of a teenager and held it up. The teenager had chin length blonde hair, ice blue eyes, and a small smirk on his pale face.

"Who is he?" Eva asked, examining the picture.

"Not yet. We were able to confirm that he left the institution four years ago, but nothing beyond that." Rester replied.

"Very well. That clinches it." Near said, handing the photo to Eva for closer examination.

"Another child at Wammy's House?" Eva put together the small bits of the conversation.

"You can call him Mello." Near held his hand out for the photo. Eva gently placed it in his hand. "We were in competition for L's title."

"So, I guess you won?" Eva concluded. Near let out an amused puff through his nose.

"I wish I could claim that. He left, surrendering the title to me."

"Near! What's going on?" a third voice interrupted them. Eva turned to find Steve rushing into the room. "The kidnappers killed Takimura?"

"Kira did." Eva corrected. "Or, at least, it's a possibility."

"If it turns out to be true, it means Kira must be getting his information from the Japanese police." Near added, switching from his match towers to his darts. He picked one up as he played with a lock of his hair, aiming it carefully, and throwing it abysmally, barely even grazing the edge of the board. As if on cue, Steve's cellphone rang.

"Yes?" Steve spoke into the device, stopping to look at the caller ID when the other side answered. Eva tilted her head in confusion at his reaction. She had never seen him so surprised before. He covered the mic and held the phone away from his face. "I don't believe it…it's L." He switched the phone to speaker and Eva winced at the quality of 'L's' voice scrambling. No one could hold a candle to L.

"I've already heard what investigator John McEnroe, or rather Larry Conners, had to say to Deputy Director Yagami in regard to the notebook and the Kira case. Will you help us with the investigation into NPA Director Takimura's murder?" the voice asked. _Light…that has to be Light._

"I see…well—" Steve began.

"Pass me the phone." Near interrupted. Steve nodded, handing Near his cellphone and watching him plug it into a complicated looking device. A switch was turned, presumably to mask Near's voice, and he began to speak. "I'm pleased to meet you at last, L number two."

"Number two? What do you mean by that?" the voice asked. "Who is this?"

"There's really no point in trying to hide it." Near leaned back into his chair, letting one leg fall from the seat and straighten out. "We are a new organization known as the SPK, or Special Provision for Kira. It was established to find and capture Kira without the help of L. Furthermore, eight of our top members already know of L's death. As for myself, I am at the center of the SPK. You can address me…" Near stopped to think for a moment, a soft smirk appearing along his lips. "as N." The silence was deafening, only adding to Near's amusement. "I told you we wouldn't be relying on L, but that's a bit of an understatement. The FBI and the CIA have explicitly asked that I head up their investigation, not you. Having said that, we are outraged by the recent murder of the director of the NPA and feel something must be done. After reviewing the information, I believe there's a possibility that solving this case could lead to the arrest of Kira. As such, I'm willing to lend you my full support." Another long silence. "Is there a problem…L?" Disdain dripped from Near's tongue.

"N-no, it's just that following the death of Takimura, Deputy Director Yagami's daughter was kidnapped and we believe the same person is behind it. He's arranged for a trade in Los Angeles." the voice continued shakily.

"A trade?" Near probed. "The girl in exchange for the notebook, I assume?"

"Yes." It was a begrudging admission.

"Understood. I'll have a team on standby in LA, but for now, they'll be working on a need to know basis. Also, I can monitor the city via satellite." Near paused again. "Or…on second thought, I'll let you have full authority on this, L." He ended the connection and handed the phone back to Rester to disassemble.

"Near, is it really safe to leave this case in the hands of a fake L? He hasn't had any success in catching Kira so far." Rester bemoaned.

"I'm aware of that. That's why it's a good idea. It means there'll be an opportunity to take advantage of him." Near answered, picking up another dart.

"I know Sayu…Deputy Director Yagami's daughter. She's such a kind, trusting girl." Eva said. "What if something happens to her because we didn't act?"

"Of course, saving people's lives is important." Near agreed. "But, as the SPK, our primary goal is very clear: we'll work to get the notebook and capture Kira once and for all." And there it was: the part of L Eva had hated when he was alive, fully manifested in Near.

"I understand." Eva replied obediently. It had been a hard lesson to learn with L: to view the case like a game or a puzzle. These were all just pieces, including herself. She stood from her chair and sat down on the ground next to El, watching him try to build a match tower as perfectly as Near had. She kissed El's head, taking in the smell of his hair and smiled. It was hardly a lesson learned, more so just a reality that she had to cope with. But El was her coping mechanism now. As long as she had him, as long as he was safe and happy, that was all that mattered to her.

* * *

Hours passed and Steve's cellphone rang again.

"Right." Steve said, putting the phone on speaker and holding it up to Near who worked diligently on his cityscape made entirely of dice.

"N, I'm sure your aware of our current situation." Eva's heart skipped a beat at hearing Light's voice. Had it really been four years? Images of their childhood came flooding back to her: their late-night conversations, their rainy-day study sessions, their lives had been so intertwined. "I need you to do me a favor. Can you notify the airline's police and military on your end not to take any action yet?"

"What's he thinking? I never realized he was this unreliable." Rester mumbled, running a hand through his light blonde hair.

"Alright L, agreed." Near answered sweetly, adjusting a die until it was perfectly aligned. "We'll locate the landing site and keep surveillance over the area using our satellite video feed. If there's anything else we can do, don't hesitate to let us know." The phone call ended abruptly, this time on Light's end. "Was that him?"

"Yes." Eva confirmed, still shaken by his voice. _Light…isn't Kira._ The satellite video feed of the place came on the screen and Eva watched Soichiro Yagami walk out into the middle of the desert. Near shared the feed with Light. It upset her every time he called him L. "Are they going to meet him out there?" Eva asked, carefully examining the desolate surroundings of Soichiro. The ground near him began to move, exposing the door to an underground bunker.

"They're underground?!" Rester exclaimed.

"Well, well, isn't that interesting?" Near said with an amused smile.

"…it's almost like they knew we would be monitoring them via satellite." Eva posed. "Near…earlier you said 'that clinches it' when Rester was talking about not knowing Mello's whereabouts—" Eva stopped her train of thought. _But how would Mello know about the notebook? That information wasn't found anywhere other than with the investigators of the Kira case…._

"What are you asking, Eva?" Rester pried.

"Nevermind…." Eva whispered, keeping her eyes on the satellite feed, looking for any clue.

"Very good, Eva." Near praised her assessment and turned his attention to a computer, pressing a few buttons to connect a call with Light. "L, do you have a plan?" he asked mockingly when the other side answered. "You can't seriously think that handing the notebook over to someone you don't know is a good idea, can you?" Near scoffed when Light hung up the phone. "I must really be getting under his nerves."

* * *

It seemed like a century before things began to move on the feed again. Soichiro Yagami walked out of the bunker, holding a traumatized, but mostly fine, Sayu Yagami.

"Theyre okay." Eva sighed with relief. Another man left the bunker, wearing a white suit and a black mask.

"The suspect is headed for a helicopter." Steve pointed out. "Based on our intel, that's his only method of transportation."

"So, this means that we can be absolutely certain that the notebook has been exchanged." Near called Light again.

"Be careful, we still don't know what they're planning to do beyond this point. N, I need you to maintain surveillance of that helicopter until it lands. Don't lose sight of it, no matter what." Light instructed.

"You seem to think that's quite an easy task." Near replied with some annoyance in his voice. "Nevertheless, we'll do what we can."

"It doesn't make sense." Eva said.

"Hm?" Rester asked, leaning over to hear her better.

"Why take the precautions of a bunker to make the trade, but transport the notebook via helicopter? They were clearly worried about surveillance, but any idiot can piece together what happened if Soichiro is leaving with his daughter and the man is leaving with a briefcase. Why get sloppy now?" Eva pointed out. Near perked up at the question.

"I'm sorry." he told Light over the phone. "I'm afraid we've been tricked." Eva noticed a separate image on the screens out of the corner of her eye: another hidden bunker. It opened much further than the entrance Soichiro had used.

"A missile…." Eva let out a laugh in her disbelief as the enormous launchpad emerged from the ground.

"We won't be able to track **that**." Near stated.

"Near! The helicopter!" Gevanni pointed out the explosion on screen: metal chunks and debris fell to the desert floor, embedding themselves in the sand.

"I thought so." Near sighed.

"Damn! I can't track it. We've lost the signal. It could be anywhere by now!" Gevanni pulled his headset off, taking a moment to grip his black hair with both hands in frustration.

"How long do you think it'll take them to retrieve it?" Eva asked.

"It depends…." Gevanni shrugged. "At most? Maybe an hour or two. There's nothing we can do in the interim." Eva nodded and made her way over to Near, who had built his dice city up significantly with the help of El. She watched them work for a while, and when the towers got too high for El to reach, she decided to interrupt.

"Let's go to bed." She held out her hand for El and he looked up at her with doleful eyes and a small pout. "It's not going to work." It was a lie. He was so adorable. It always worked. She was entirely at his mercy.

"Fine." El mumbled, climbing down from his chair and bumping Near's arm in the process. The slight movement caused tower after tower of die to come crashing down on the ground. It was so loud that Eva barely heard Steve's cry in the mixture.

"Steve!" Eva ran over to him, helping him down into a sitting position as he clutched his chest. His sharp, short breaths eventually stopped. "S-Steve?" Eva barely had time to process the shock before another member began to show the same symptoms, and then another. _Kira…._

"Mom?" Eva followed El's eyes to a member of the SPK who slowly brought a gun to his head. She rushed to cover his eyes, barely able to pull him way from the scene before the gunshot echoed through the building and blood splattered against the wall. The horrifying scenes continued for a full three minutes until the screaming, gasping, and moaning finally came to an end, and all that remained were dead bodies. Eva looked around at the surviving members: Near, Stephen Gevanni, Anthony Rester, and Halle Lidner. Near turned to the phone without a word, calling Light again.

"L." Near called out.

"Yes?" Light responded.

"He got us." Near picked up a fallen die and began to fiddle with it.

"Got you?" Light asked.

"Yes, the majority of the SPK's members have just been killed by the notebook. L, you were the one who handed over the notebook without a fight. You and your people were totally helpless." The anger was clear to see on Near's face.

"N, are you saying if you were in command, you wouldn't have handed it over?" Light argued.

"No, considering their preparations, it would have been impossible to avoid this." Near admitted. He began twirling a lock of hair around his finger. "There's really no point in us quarreling. I propose we work together and share the information we know so far. For starters, I should admit that I have a very good idea of who the culprit behind this might be. I suspect the person who arranged the kidnapping and the trade is someone who goes by the name Mello."

"Mello? Who's he?" Light asked.

"I don't have his photograph and I don't know his real name." Near lied. "All I know about him is that four years ago, he was living at an orphanage located in Winchester, England, known as Wammy's House. I believe Mello is playing a game with me. He wants to know which of us will be the first to take down Kira—the final challenge."

"I understand. Thank you, N." Light ended the call and Eva gave Near a quizzical look. _Why did he tell him so much?_ She shook her head. She couldn't worry about that now. Eva picked up El, careful to keep his face covered as she stepped over the dead bodies. _Is this the life you would have wanted for your child, L?_


	36. Chapter 36

**Author's Note:** Hope you guys are all safe and healthy! 3

* * *

 **Chapter 36**

* * *

 _November 12, 2009_

 _Near just told me._

 _I have to go see him. I have to make sure he's okay._

* * *

Light laid in bed, remembering the first time he picked up the Death Note. It had been a crude joke at the time when he said it to Ryuk: _If something goes wrong, I might have to kill my family._ He had never expected to follow through with it. He had never expected to manipulate circumstances such that those he loved would be in the direct line of fire.

"Light? Are you okay?" Misa asked, climbing on top of him and straddling his lap.

"Not now, Misa." He gently pushed her off him and turned to his side. He had barely slept in the last few days. Just as his eyes began to close his phone rang. "Hello?" he answered groggily.

"Light?" The voice stunned him. He hadn't heard it in so long and yet he recognized it immediately.

"Eva? Where are you? Are you okay?" He shot up, sitting on the edge of the bed, anxiously awaiting her response.

"Light, who is that?" Misa asked, walking closer to him. Light stood, quickly exiting to the suite's living room and shutting the bedroom door behind him with a loud thud.

"I'm fine. I heard about you father. I'm so sorry for your loss." Eva's voice was sweet. Hearing it again made him feel like a burden had been lifted off his shoulders. Even after all of these years, she was still thinking about him. She was still worried about him. She still cared about him. All of his doubts vanished in that moment. "Are you still in Japan?"

"Y-yea, I mean, right now I'm in Los Angeles, but I'm still living in Japan." Light explained.

"I'm in Los Angeles, too." A silence took over while Light worked up the courage to ask.

"Can I come see you?"

"Sure." Another relief. "I'm in West Hollywood right now. If you—"

"I can be there in thirty minutes. Just tell me where to meet you." Light hurriedly pulled on his socks and shoes, sandwiching the phone between his ear and shoulder.

"I'll send you the address. See you soon, Light." Light's smile covered his entire face. He quickly grabbed his keys and his wallet, stopping only when he felt Misa grab his arm.

"Where are you going?!" she demanded, tears in her eyes.

"It's none of your business!" Light snapped back at her, in no mood for her arguments.

"But Light—"

"Misa, just do what I asked you to do!" He slammed the hotel door behind him, feeling completely justified in his actions. Misa had no right. She was just the best of a bad situation. How she could even think that Light could ever bring himself to love her, when he had rejected her so completely so many times, was beyond him. Sure, he had told her a few pretty words now and again, but that's all they were.

* * *

Ryuk followed close behind as Light raced through the hotel lobby and mashed the elevator button impatiently. He fidgeted anxiously, trying not to roll his eyes in annoyance as the elevator stopped on a different floor than Eva's room.

"O…going up?" the man asked Light as he looked at the lit-up buttons on the side panel.

"Yea." Light was unable to hide his irritability.

"Alright." the man responded, stopping the doors from closing and stepping out.

"C'mon." Light sighed under his breath, starting to mash the 'close door' button. Ryuk couldn't help but to laugh. Light had been so calm and collected the last few years. It was unusual to see him so worked up. When the doors finally opened again, Light stepped out and briefly glanced at the signs. He jogged down the hallway until he reached her room and stopped.

"Aren't you going to knock?" Ryuk asked when the boy made no further movements. Light ignored him, hesitantly lifting his hand to the door. Three gentle taps…just like he would knock on her window when they were younger.

"O!" a gasp escaped the god of death when the door opened. Ryuk could hardly recognize the woman in front of him. Eva looked…healthy. Her skin was brighter, her hair was long and shiny, her eyes held a sparkle that Ryuk was sure died with L. She was not the thin frame he had known her to be. Yet, despite her visual improvements, the stark reminder of her diagnosis loomed over her head. _Just under six years…._

"Hey, Light." Eva said with a gentle smile. Light immediately pulled her into a hug.

"I was so worried about you." he whispered.

"I know…I'm sorry, Light." Eva held him, gently rubbing his back. "Come in, I want to introduce you to someone." She took him by the hand, leading him into the hotel room. Ryuk felt something strange happen to him when he noticed the small child sitting on the floor, constructing a city out of dice. He couldn't recognize the emotion, but he knew gods of death should not have felt it. It was dangerous. He contemplated Light's intentions, his capabilities, for a moment. Was he capable of hurting this child? Would it be wrong for Ryuk to stop him if he tried? Ryuk's eyes moved to Eva as she pulled the young boy into her arms and carried him to Light, making the first introductions. _Your child will live a long, healthy life, Eva. But because of Light, Elliot Reyes will have no mother, no father. The people he has grown closest to will be ripped out of his life by a vengeful bastard._ A smile crept across Ryuk's face, obscuring his previous emotions. _And yet you still comfort Light in his moment of need. You selflessly rushed to his side. You probably still even believe he's not Kira. Humans are so interesting._ Ryuk laughed at the circumstances, unable to hold it in any longer. _I once told Light humans who pick up the Death Note and are followed by a god of death generally have nothing but misfortune. If I didn't know any better…I would assume there was a god of death following you, too, Eva._

* * *

Light watched Eva gently rub El's back as he drifted off to sleep in her arms. She was exactly as he had imagined her—except the child would have been his. The soft smile on her face, the love in her eyes, the comforting strokes of her hands, it should have all been reserved for Light and his child. That would have been his perfect family—his perfect moment. Instead, he was forced to sit there and stare from the outside. Even in death, L brought Light nothing but misery.

"Has it been hard?" he asked.

"What?" Eva ran her fingers through the young boy's hair and kissed his head.

"Being alone. Raising him alone."

"I…was lucky to have a good support system." Eva said. It had been like this all night. Light asked a question, Eva gave him an answer without exposing too much of where she was, who she was with, or what she was doing. It made him feel isolated.

"Let me help." he offered without hesitation.

"Light…." Eva started dismissively.

"I'm serious!" he cut her off. "Eva, you have no idea how terrified I was that something happened to you—that I lost you forever. Now that you're back, all I want is to make sure you're okay."

"I'm okay, Light." she assured with a weak smile. "Besides, you have your own things to focus on: the Kira investigation, joining the police force, it's a lot to do even without a child in tow."

"None of that is as important to me as you and El."

"What about Misa?" The question hit him like a ton of bricks. Misa had appeared in his life during the most inconvenient times. He met Eva's pale green eyes.

"Nothing is as important to me as you and El." he reiterated. Eva looked back at him with an unchanging expression—like she didn't believe him. It hurt.

"We have a flight early in the morning." Eva said, lifting El up as she stood and taking him to the bed. He stirred a bit as she set him down and tucked the covers in around him. Light stood as well. She gracefully made her way around the bed to him and pulled him into another hug. "It was nice seeing you after all these years, Light."

"When can I see you again?" Light asked, pulling her in closer. He took in every sensation like he might never experience it again: the smell of her hair, the warmth of her body, the softness of her skin.

"I'm not sure. I'll let you know." It was a bitter goodbye. Light couldn't quite put his finger on what he was feeling, but when he entered the empty stairwell of the hotel to make his way down to the lobby, his eyes began to sting with tears. _Does she still love me? Would she hate me if she knew?_

* * *

 _November 19, 2009_

 _I feel like we're barely keeping our heads above water. How can we fight Kira if we have no governmental support, no authority, no help?_

 _A part of me is almost glad you're not around to see this, L._

Eva sighed at the US press conference, muting the TV when the yelling of the reporters got to be too much for her.

"What now?" she asked, turning her attention to Near who was busy building a fort with El.

"It looks like we've been disbanded." Near explained nonchalantly, screwing the head off a toy. "Thanks to that chicken of a president. No, he's not even a chicken." The head of the toy clicked off, rolling across the floor to El. "He's less than a maggot."

"Near!" Rester called everyone's attention to the security cameras. Eva watched Halle Linder be led to the building at gunpoint. The man holding her hostage made the weapon extremely visible. "What should we do?"

"Let him in." Near ordered. Eva quickly pulled El off the floor, looking for a place to hide him. "He won't hurt him." Near assured, as if he could read Eva's mind. Eva set the small child down and kneeled down until she met his eyes.

"Whatever happens, stay behind me, okay?" Eva smiled, trying not to show any fear. El nodded and quickly assumed his position, safe behind his mother. Rester stood in front of Near with a weapon drawn, and Gevanni stood in front of Eva. The door clicked open, and Eva instantly recognized the boy from the picture, except older and with a burn scar across the left half of his face.

"Mello, welcome." Near greeted, not bothering to turn around and face the blonde-haired man.

"Drop your weapon!" Rester commanded.

"Everyone, please put away your guns. Having a shootout here would achieve nothing." Near said calmly.

"Sir, with all due respect, Mellos' the one who killed our partners." Gevanni objected, still taking expert aim with his gun.

"Please don't make me say it again. Remember, our primary objective is still to catch Kira." Near corrected. "Killing Mello right now will do nothing to benefit our investigation."

"Alright…." Rester begrudgingly lowered his weapon, still keeping it out, as did Gevanni. The pair carefully watched Mello pull the gun away from Halle's head.

"It seems like things have been going just as you planned, Near." Mello said sarcastically, pulling the hood of his black coat off his head.

"Yes, I take it you've already heard all about the second L from Lidner by now." Near confirmed.

"Lidner?" Eva met the blonde woman's eyes. She quickly looked away. "That's how he knew about the notebook…from our investigation?"

"I told you your assessment was good, Eva." Near stated with a small smirk. "I've mostly figured out exactly who Kira is, and it's thanks to everything you've done, Mello." The compliment triggered an inexplicable rage in the blonde man.

"Shut up, Near!" he yelled, pointing the gun directly at the back of Near's head. Rester and Gevanni immediately held up their weapons. "I'm not just a tool for you to use in order to solve your puzzles, you know."

"If you really want to shoot me then go ahead and do it." Near goaded. It was not a gamble Eva would have taken. Mello's blue eyes narrowed with intensity. She saw his finger tighten around the trigger. Eva moved to protect Near, stopping only when she felt two small hands tug on her leg.

"Don't go…." El whispered to her, holding onto her tightly.

"Stop!" Halle put her hand on Mello's gun and stepped between him and Mello. "If you shoot him, then the rest of us will have to shoot you. What will it solve if the both you die? That's just what Kira wants.

"You have a point." Mello admitted, lowering his weapon again. "Anyway, I just came here for one thing: I came to take back that photograph you have."

"Of course." Near agreed, holding up the photograph. Eva couldn't help but to think how much more light Mello had in his eyes back then. Everything seemed more optimistic back then. _L…._ "I got it from the orphanage. There was only one and no copies have been made. I've already gone ahead and dealt with everyone who knows your face both inside and outside Wammy's House. They'll keep quiet. I can't say a hundred percent for certain, but it shouldn't be possible for you to be killed by the notebook." Near threw the photograph at Mello, who caught it with just as much ease. "Is that the only business you had with me, Mello?"

"Near…." Mello glowered at the white-haired boy. "Let's get one thing straight: I have no intention of working together with you on this."

"Yes, I know."

"At the same time, I can't just take my photo and leave. That wouldn't be right. So, I'll settle my debt."

"Hm?" Near turned a bit, his interest piqued.

"The killer notebook, it belongs to a god of death. Whoever touches it is able to see it. The notebook I obtained had previously belonged to another god of death, perhaps even Kira himself."

"Unfortunately, you're not telling me anything I don't already know." Near turned back around, continuing to fidget with his toys. Mello moved his eyes from Near's back to Eva. Her breath caught in her throat. This man was so imposing.

"That's right…you had the benefit of—hm?" His blue eyes moved down to the small child poking his head out from behind Eva's legs. "…I heard rumors about L's child, but I figured they were just that." Mello returned his gaze to Near. "If you care at all about their wellbeing you should get them as far away from you as possible. You're a target for Kira, and they are by extension."

"I'm aware of that." Near reiterated.

"Are you?" Mello challenged. He turned on his heel and stopped before exiting. "Were you aware that some of the rules in the notebook were fake?" Mello smirked when he saw Near turn to look over his shoulder. "I guess not. That's all I can tell you for now. Which one of us is going to reach Kira first, I wonder." A genuine smile appeared across Near's lips.

"The race is on." Near looked up at Eva as the automatic doors closed behind Mello. Her face was pale, her eyes wide, her lip quivered. "Eva?"

"L had…I-I thought he was just trying to find any reason to incriminate Light." Eva stammered out.

"What did L have?" Near asked, standing up and making his way over to her.

"There was one rule that L was planning on testing the day he died: 'If the person using the note fails to continuously write names of people to be killed within 13 days of each other, then the user will die.'" Eva explained.

"Why would that incriminate Light Yagami?" Near pushed, moving closer to her.

"Light Yagami and Misa Amane were held in 24-hour monitored solitary confinement for more than fifty days. On their fifteenth day of confinement, a ton of criminals died all at once. That confinement was the main reason suspicion moved away from Light and Misa, and when we found the notebook with the rules, it only made us more confident that they couldn't have been Kira or the second Kira." Tears began to build up in Eva's eyes as she hastily explained L's suspicions. "Excuse me." Eva quickly stepped out of the room, taking a moment to breath in the hallway. It was suffocating—being in this place, being in this position. She desperately tried to regain her composure when she heard the doors open behind her.

"You never told me why you left without saying anything to Light." She turned to Near, with every intention of lying again, but only more tears and sobs left her.

"B-because it was too hard." Eva finally admitted through her sobs. "I loved Light! I **loved** him, even to the day that I left! I never for a second believed he was Kira. All of the patterns L saw, they were just coincidences to me. But I couldn't stop seeing them after he died. I loved Light…. If it turned out he was Kira…I don't…I don't know what I would do." Eva took a deep, shaky breath. "I thought…maybe if I could start living without him, separate myself from the Kira case, maybe I could just go on in ignorance and try to live a normal, happy life for my son."

"I see…." Near pulled on a lock of his white hair and began twirling it around his finger. "Was Light the jealous type?"

"What do you mean?" Eva asked through sniffles.

"You two dated briefly, correct?"

"Y-yea, but I don't think jealous…m-maybe just overprotective. He just didn't like strangers around me in general."

"Who were the strangers he didn't like around you?" Near pried.

"I guess the only two prominent ones would have been L and Reiji." Eva admitted.

"Jealousy could explain why every man that seems to hold your affection other than Light ends up dead." The accusation hit her like a ton of bricks. It was nothing she had ever acknowledged, even to herself. _Light isn't Kira._ "Eva, I'd like you to take El to your parents in Los Angeles temporarily and join the investigation here more actively."

"What are you planning?" Eva asked. A devious smile cracked across Near's lips.

"I'm going to back Kira into a corner."


	37. Chapter 37

**Author's Note:** How are ya'll doing with this whole world shut down? Not too rough, I hope! Fingers crossed we get through this soon. Until then, here's another chapter.

* * *

 **Chapter 37**

* * *

"What do you mean you're going to back Kira into a corner?" Eva asked, shaking her head in confusion.

"Follow me; I'll show you." Near replied, the smile never leaving his face. He led Eva back into the control room, dropping down in front of his mic and dialing "L's" number.

"Yes?" Light's familiar voice answered on the other side, driving an unsuspecting nail into Eva's heart.

"L, I thought you should know that we caught Mello." Near started, eliciting gasps from the other end of the line. "But he escaped soon afterwards. We were able to interrogate him for a while."

"He didn't really escape, did he? You let him get away." Light accused. "Am I right?"

"No, we tried to restrain him, but he was too quick." Near lied half-heartedly. "Anyway, Mello mentioned that there was some sort of god of death attached to the notebook. Have you been able to confirm the existence of such a creature?"

"Yes." he confirmed. "I can tell you for a fact that gods of death do exist. I didn't share that information with you at the beginning because I was certain you would never believe me."

"I would like to ask the god of death a few questions." Near proposed. "The thing that's bothering me the most about this is the issue of those rules written in the notebook. I have reason to believe that one of them is fake."

"A fake rule?" Light questioned.

"Yes. L, I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on this. Out of all the rules, which do you think is the fake? I'd like to know."

"By process of elimination, the obvious choice would be the one stating that the owner of a notebook will die if they don't write a new name in it every thirteen days." Light answered without hesitation. "I don't believe that."

"I thought you might say so. I've reached the same conclusion." Near confirmed.

"God of death, you know the rules of the notebook well. Tell us, are any of them false?" Light asked. Near's smirk grew in the silence.

"I see. You have a god of death there with you?" Near asked.

"Yes."

"Is that so? I think I'm beginning to get the picture." Near looked down at the stack of tarot cards in front of him and flipped one over, revealing Death. "In other words, Kira is there in the room and he's making the god of death lie on his behalf." He flipped over another card, revealing the Devil. Soft mutters could be heard shortly before the line was muted. Near waited a few moments before speaking up again. "If there's a problem, I suggest we verify the rule this way: I will volunteer to write down Mello's real name in the notebook. Of course, that means he'll die. If I also die thirteen days later…well, then I guess Kira wins. Either way, it's a gamble I'm quite willing to make." Eva waved her hands to catch Near's attention. He glanced up at her and she held her hands up with a somewhat distressed, questioning look on her face, mouthing the words 'what are you doing?' "Testing and confirming the thirteen day rule can only benefit the Kira investigation, and other than my possible death, there would be no drawbacks. I'm willing to put my life on the line if it will help us solve the case."

"Could you please wait for a moment? We need to discuss your suggestion." Light replied, promptly muting the call. It must have been a short discussion. "Near, we talked it over and we can't allow you to use the notebook like that."

"I had a feeling you might say so. No matter. Just one last question before I go: to the members of the Japanese Task Force, was there ever a point in the investigation where the second L was suspected to be Kira, even if the suspicions were later dropped? If you've been listening to our conversation so far and have any intention of helping my investigation in taking down Kira, then call the number I'm about to give you. Day or night, I will answer. The choice is up to you." Near paused for a moment before providing the number and ending the call.

"What are you doing?" Eva finally vocalized. "You know L suspected him."

"I told you: I'm cornering him. The information you gave me is fairly damaging to his credibility. He won't want it drudged up again. If I can create uncertainty and mistrust among his group, he's bound to act more desperately." Near flipped over another tarot card, smirking at the image of the Fool. "Maybe he'll slip up."

"If he's Kira." Eva reminded, clinging onto the tiny bit of hope she had left in her friend. Near looked up at Eva briefly, acknowledging her complaint, but saying nothing to correct his assumptions.

 _November 24, 2009_

 _I wish I could spend more time with them. I never thought keeping my family out of harm's way would feel so much like abandoning them. If anything, it's given me more anxiety about their safety._

 _I trust mom and dad more than anyone else in the world, and they're both far more competent than I am with firearms and security…but I can't help thinking that I'd never forgive myself if something happened to them and I wasn't there. I don't know what I would be able to do…but if I can't protect them, if I can't protect El, I should die with him._

"Are you sure you can't stay for Thanksgiving?" Liliana asked for the hundredth time. Eva laughed and rolled her eyes, packing the last of her clothes into her suitcase.

"Yea, I'm sure. I don't even think I should've stayed this long."

"This long?" Liliana scoffed. "It's been three days."

"At least you'll have El to keep you company." Eva noted, watching her mom's smile fill her face.

"Yes! My little buddy! I'm going to send him back to you with terrible sleep patterns and hopped up on sugar." Liliana jokingly threatened, following Eva outside to the waiting taxi.

"Don't even joke about that." Eva groaned. "You know he's probably already got both of those genes from his dad."

"That's right…." Liliana stopped for a moment to remember that scrawny man she had met so many years ago: his tired, baggy eyes, the seemingly endless array of sweets constantly at his disposal, the boxes and boxes of sugar cubes that filled his hotel suite kitchenette cabinets. Had it really been five years already? Since he came into Eva's life, since she fell in love with him, since she held her heartbroken daughter at his grave?

"Mom?" Eva's voice snapped her out her thoughts and Liliana quickly wiped away the sad look on her face.

"Sorry." She quickly reached over and hugged Eva, planting a soft kiss on her head. "Call me as soon as you get to airport. And when you land. And when you make it back home, okay?"

"Okay." Eva nodded with a forced smile. Liliana felt guilty for reminding her of L. She would have given anything to have protected her daughter from a loss that devastating.

* * *

 _November 25, 2009_

 _Light…what did you do?_

* * *

"Eva, wake up!" Eva jumped at the noise, quickly sitting up in her bed at glancing around the room. Gevanni stood in her doorway with a panicked look. "Get dressed!"

"What's going on?" Eva muttered, hazily making her way to the dresser and pulling out clothes.

"Just come out as soon as you're done. We have to go!" He shut the door, leaving her bewildered. Eva quickly changed out of her pajamas, stopping only when she heard the whirl of a helicopter near the building. She made her way to the window, pulling open the curtains and gasping at the crowd that had formed outside. _What is this?_ She quickly ran out of her sleeping quarters and down the hallway to the main room.

"What's going on?!" Eva asked, watching the full feed on the large screen in front of Near. Rioters had gathered around the building, smashing glass doors and windows on the first floors. They had thus far been unsuccessful in getting past the second layer of security doors, but that sure didn't stop them from trying. Metal rods, bricks, bats, and a variety of other objects had left noticeable dents in the heavy doors. "Who are these people?"

"At this rate we'll be dragged outside unless we stop them somehow." Rester commented. L's logo suddenly appeared on screen, patching in a phone call from him.

"What's going on, Near?" Light asked innocently. "Could it be that this is some sort of plot by Mello to finish off the SPK?" He stopped for a moment and chuckled. "No, surely it couldn't be that the SPK's security was so lax that even a normal citizen could find out where it was located?" There was a smugness in Light's voice that Eva recognized. Previously, she had only known it in their playful competitions. He would jokingly undermine her confidence when he got a higher grade than her in her subject matter of expertise, or when he managed to more accurately predict elections or policy approvals than she did. Never did she think she would hear that victorious tone from Light in a situation like this. Eva would have given anything for anyone to tell her not to believe her lying ears. "Near, you've got no choice: you better evacuate."

"You've got some nerve to say that, being Kira." Near shot back.

"What? Are you still going on about that nonsense?" Light asked.

"Think about it." Near shrugged and began lining up his toys around him. "With all the anti-Kira groups around, why is it that we're being targeted, and right after I started suspecting you? Pretty convenient if you ask me."

"Near, with all due respect, you're wrong. You're jumping to conclusions." Light replied calmly. Near glanced over at Eva and she suddenly understood his intentions. _It's a test. You just want to see how he reacts…._ Eva nodded and made her way to the microphone.

"L?" It felt strange to use his name again.

"Who is this?" Light asked after a brief pause. "Eva?"

"Yea…."

"What are you—are you at the SPK headquarters?!" Light's voice was significantly more panicked. It was the tone she would have expected him to take with anyone he considered an ally.

"Yea, I've been working on the Kira investigation with the SPK."

"Where's El?"

"He's safe." Eva reassured. "Listen, I don't think we have a lot of time."

"Eva, listen to me—" Light tried to interject, Eva quickly muted his mic.

"I'm sorry, I have to cut you off. We might get dragged out into the streets by the rioters, and we both know Kira will kill everyone as soon as that happens." Eva took a deep breath, her voice shaking as she continued. "I'm sorry for leaving the way I did. I should have told you what was going on, but it was just too painful for me to be there anymore. I hope you understand. No matter what happens to us today, just promise you won't give up on finding Kira." Eva unmuted Light's mic and leaned back in her chair.

"Members of the task force, please listen to me: Kira is likely amongst you. Even as we speak, he is in that room. I'm simply asking you to think about this carefully."

"Near—" Near ended the call, cutting off Light's desperate plea.

"Did you get the reaction you were hoping for?" Eva asked.

"I guess we'll see depending on what Kira does next." Near replied.

"Near, we have to evacuate immediately." Rester insisted.

"Really, what pathetic people." Near sighed, lifting his head to observe the images of the riot that flashed across his multiple screens. "I'm not surprised that there are ordinary people who support what Kira's trying to do." He flicked his finger, knocking over a toy robot. "I'm talking about honest citizens who believe in their hearts that, by punishing evildoers, Kira will actually make this world a better place to live." Another flick of Near's finger knocked over another toy. "But, as for this crowd outside, they're a completely different breed. They are truly despicable and stupid." A third toy toppled over. "This is just a diversion for them." Then a fourth. "They're all selfish." And a fifth.

"I-I know that, but it still leaves us with the immediate problem." Rester urged.

"We'll use L's legacy and the anti-Kira protesters we hired." Near replied, gathering the fallen toys.

"Yes, but we only have one shot with that plan." Rester warned.

"I'm aware of that." Near acknowledged, standing up with an armful of toys. "But I can't imagine a better time to do it. Besides, it should be interesting."

"I'm sorry, what are we doing?" Eva chimed in. Gevanni sighed and made his way over to a cabinet filled with uniforms. He handed her one and she inspected it carefully. "Police riot gear?"

"Put it on." Gevanni replied, slipping into his own suit.

* * *

 _Dammit. Dammit. Dammit! Dammit! **DAMMIT!**_ Light tried to ease his ragged breathing. It was probably obvious to everyone in the room how panicked he was. Would it make him seem suspicious? Would it seem odd? No, Eva was his best friend. Everyone on the task force knew that. It would only be natural that Light would be worried sick about her. He was stuck. There was no way he could communicate to Misa to spare Eva. There was

"We have to do something!" Matsuda spoke up. Light was relieved someone else was taking the initiative.

"What can we do?" Aizawa asked. "We have no jurisdiction."

"I…I don't know! But we can't just let Eva get dragged out into a crowd of angry protestors. Who knows what they'll do to her!" Matsuda continued.

"We can try to persuade the local police districts to take action." Light quickly offered. "Maybe they'll listen to L." He didn't wait for the others to respond before he started making his calls. There was a burn in Light's chest from Eva's betrayal. It had always confounded him how Near managed to figure out so much about Kira, about the notebook, now it all made sense to him. _Eva…._ Of course, he couldn't blame her for it. Eva was still under the impression that he was just Light. She had never been on Kira's side and had never pretended to be. It made navigating the whole situation even trickier. But he would never allow her to get hurt, not when he did this all for her. Had she even noticed that he had killed those doctors that had so severely damaged her life? He wanted to tell her, see her reaction in person. She would be grateful to Kira. She would finally understand.


End file.
